Speaker Arnold I. Palacios, R-Saipan, said the governor’s statement “is not accurate and unfair.”
The House of Representatives on Thursday passed the $156.7 million FY 2009 budget proposal with a provision that bars the allocation of public funds for the governor’s lawsuit, for which Fitial is asking lawmakers to appropriate $400,000.
“I think they need to reconsider their decision,” said the governor. “The lawsuit is just basically asking the federal court to clarify the labor provisions [of the federalization law]. The Covenant does not authorize the federal government [to strip us of our right to self-government].”
“If [that version of the FY 2009 budget bill] is passed, I will veto it,” he added.
When told that the Legislature could override his veto, the governor replied: “That’s their prerogative. I cannot decide what they want to do. They are a separate branch of the government but it’s going to look very, very bad on them. This is a lawsuit for the people. And I think they owe it to the people to support it.”
The House budget measure is now in the Senate which has already prepared a substitute bill.
The governor’s special legal counsel Howard Willens is in Washington, D.C. to monitor the developments on the lawsuit.
Fitial insists that the federalization law will mandate all foreign workers in the CNMI to leave after 2014.
“We have about 18,000 foreign workers in the commonwealth — about two-thirds of our total workforce. Only a small percentage of these workers are likely to qualify for H visas. The others will be allowed to remain in the CNMI only if federal officials give special CNMI only permits to individual employers allowing them to hire foreign workers,” said the governor in a previous statement.
“The people of the commonwealth elected us to represent them not the federal government,” he added.
In a separate interview, Palacios said the governor’s request to use public funds for the lawsuit is a waste of taxpayers’ money.
“There are a lot of consequences at stake. It will strain our relations with the U.S. government in the process,” he told Variety.
The speaker added that it is best for the CNMI to negotiate first with the federal government.
“To say that we’re anti-locals is not accurate and unfair,” he said.
The House is scheduled to hold a session today.
