“[Does] Kaipat…seriously believe that ‘locals’ will apply for low-paying, labor-intensive jobs including farmers, massage therapists and housemaids?” the former Rota teacher asked in an email to this reporter.
She said if locals wanted those positions, they could have filled them during the many years that the CNMI maintained local control over labor and had a local preference law.
Kaipat told lawmakers last week that over 6,500 private sector jobs will be vacated by nonresidents by 2011 and should be available to locals.
But Doromal said federal immigration law now applies to the CNMI and imposing citizenship requirements is illegal.
Raby Syed, United Workers Movement president, said Kaipat’s statement “demoralized” the business sector, which depends on foreign workforce.
He said Kaipat should be “more careful when coming up with statements so as not to create confusion.”
In her Unheard No More! blogsite, Doromal said Kaipat’s plan “is illegal.”
She added, “It seems that she is getting her numbers by estimating when the foreign contract workers’ contract will expire. The employers may opt to renew their loyal and well-trained foreign workers. Kaipat seems to imply that employers will have to re-advertise and will be forced to take locals. Local preference is illegal under federal law.”
