S M arian as a rie ty ( ^ V i 6 w § Micronesia’s Leading Newspaper Since 1972 Vol. 21 No. 192 Tuesday ■ December 15, 1992 Saipan, MP 96950 ©1992 Marianas Variety Serving CNMI for 20 Years 25' M ore w orker rights sought M iller w ants labor in w age board REPRESENTATIVE George planning and budgeting and CNMI. Miller said last week the proposed repressentatives of the Hotel As­ He said the CNMI should also Maids, fanners Wage and Salary Review Board sociation of the Northern Mariana increase local employment in the to get portion should include a representative Islands, CNMI Contractors’ As­ garment industry, which enjoys from the labor sector. sociation, Commonwealth Gar­ duty-free treatment in the US promises of new wage “Given the tremendous impact ment Textile Industry Associa­ market. “Unless concrete steps wage and salary have on workers, tion, a member at-large selected arc taken toemploy local laborers quick action LIVE-IN maids, fanners and. the Wage and Salary Review by the governor from the private in manufacturing, the CNMI ACTING Speaker Diego T. fishermen, mostly foreigners Board, if instituted in the CNMI, sector and a member from each should expect to spend time de­ Benavente promised yesterday at the bottom of the pay scale, should be composed of working senatorial district to be selected fending General Note 3(a),” to act quickly on the proposal will continue to receive a frac­ people, as well as government, by mayors. Miller said. to increase the minimum wage. tion of the minimum hourly business and other community Miller said employers, in the Following M iller’s letter “There has, already been wage when the mandatory pay interests,” Miller said in a Dec. 9 CNMI must also provide work­ Guerrero pressed for an increase plenty of discussion about the rate is raised next year. letter to Governor Lorenzo I. ers’ compensation or equivalent in the minimum wage and other increase in minimum wage,” The draft legislation sent by Guerrero. insurance to all workers, as well labor reforms Friday to remove he said in an interview. “More Governor Lorenzo I. Guerrero “Without representation on the as other benefits. “At a minimum, the threat from US Congress on or less, it wouldnot take a long to the Legislature Friday pro­ board, workers will have few op­ the CNMI should adopt regula­ the Commonwealth’s self-gov­ time before this measure be­ vides, for a 30-cent increase in portunities to affect board deci­ tions which guarantees certain H2 ernment. comes law.” theminimumhourly wagefrom sions,” added Miller, who was re­ (a) benefits, such as housing, “Congress may entertain laws He said the draft legislation 1993 to 1999. Thus, the mini­ elected last week as chairman of workers compensation and trans­ to strip us of local control over received from Governor mum wage, now at $2.15 -per the House Committee on Interior portation to and from the CNMI, key elements of our economy,”he Lorenzo I. Guerrero might be hour, will rise to $2.45 next and Insular Affairs (renamed in addition to wage or salary,” he said in a letter to Senate President introduced by any member of year. By 1999, the minimum Committee on Natural Resources). said. Juan S. Demapan and Speaker the House when it meets for a pay will be $4.25, the current The board, as proposed through Miller said he considered the Thomas P. Villagomez. session. basic pay in the mainland. a draft legisl ation sent by Guerrero draft legislation on the local mini­ “It is likewise clear that we must The bill, upon introduction, Live-in maids, fishermen, to the Legislature, is to be com­ mum wage as a “good first step in take concrete steps for labor re­ would be assigned to the ways farmers and other workers will posed of the directors of finance a series of many that will need to form if we expect Chairman and means and commerce and receive only a part of this in­ and commerce and labor, the be taken to comprehensively ad­ (George) Miller to be out advo- continued on page 2 governor’s special assistant for dress labor problems...” in the continued on page 2 continued on page 2 Nikko Hotel Rankin recovers galleon treasure suit remanded By Gay nor Dumat-ol Rankin, a Saipan-based artist who In a separate interview after Rankin started the search for to local court was allowed by government to Fleming made the confirmation, the remains of the sunken Manila A TREASURE hunt in waters off recover remains of the galleon Rankin said what he found were galleon more titan a year ago. The THE US District Court has sent Agingan Point has resulted in the Nuestra Señora dela Concepcion, “bits and pieces of gold and sil­ exact date or dates when the back to the Superior Court the recent recovery of artifacts and made the find. ver, Chinese porcelain and items sunken treasure were found were Article 12 suit against the current other valuable items believed part “I’m confirming to you that he made of copper and brass.” not immcdiately'available. owner of a land where Hotel Nikko of the cargo of a galleon which (Rankin) found a number of things The entire find, Rankin said Rankin would soon present the stands. sank in the vicinity in 1638, this from the Concepcion Galleon. could be worth about $20,000. find during a meeting of the His­ Judge Alex Munson said in a was learned yesterday. There’s no secret about it,” Rankin said the recovered toric Preservation board. Dec. 7 decision that the land dis­ Historic Preservation Officer Fleming said in a telephone inter­ sunken treasures were placed in Details of the Lite sharing agrce- pute has no federal question in­ Michael A. Fleming said Douglas view. a bank safe deposit box. continued on page 2 volved. Ip 2 -m a r ia n a s v a r ie t y NEWS AND VIEWS-TUESDAY-DECEMBER 15,1992 More... TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1992 -MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-3 Demapan probes runway problem continued from page 1 V illagom ez cites cate,” Guerrero added. Hotel group urges Miller was reelected last week as chairman of the House Com­ need for new tax mittee on Interior and Insular SPEAKER Thomas P. Villagomez he said. Affairs, renamed Committee on closure of dum p cited the need Friday to impose a Natural Resources. He has been Guerrero earlier told a Saipan tax on any new development project Chamber of Commerce meeting one of the strongest critics of the SAIPAN’S 15 major hotels urged disturbing and sometimes uncom­ United Micronesia Develop­ in the Northern Marianas to finance that he would propose an impact CNMI’s labor and garment in­ Governor Lorenzo I. Guerrero fortable,” Yoshida, is also general ment Association (UMDA), infrastructure improvement. dustry policies. (NL) fee on construction projects in­ Friday to close the Puerto Rico manager of Hotel Nikko Saipan, which is planning to develop a In an interview, Villagomez said stead of a developer’s tax. _ dump as soon as possible. said. golf course and resort hotel in the tax could be in the form of a Under his proposal, revenue In a letter to Guerrero, Toshimi He said the hotels and the Marpi, has offered to build a developer’s tax as sproposed under M a i d . from the impact fee could not be Yoshida, president of the Hotel Marianas Visitors Bureau have House Bill 8-14 or an impact fee as sanitary landfill and operate it used except for infrastructure af­ Association of the Northern worked hard to promote Saipan as continued from page 1 proposed by Rep. Pedro R. for 12 years within its project fected by the project. He also pro­ Mariana Islands (HANMI), s?id a clean and safe visitor destination, site, come adjustment. The Still un­ Guerrero. posed a progressive payment of “the Puerto Rico dump is a. con­ “the beautiful environment of the Development of a new waste numbered bill authorized the di­ “We need to act on a developer’s the fee so as not to hurt the cash tinuing health hazard and eye sore island continues to be the main disposal site would enable the rector of commerce and labor to infrastructure tax bill one way or flow of developers. for the1 people of the Common­ feature that attracts tourists to government to close Puerto Rico set a special minimum wage for another,” he said. The House Committee on wealth.” Saipan, a feature we must take the dump, which is near the Garapan By Rafael H. Arroyo tincntal people are conrect about these workers which must not be The executive branch earlier Commerce and Tourism, how­ “For our tourists, the smoke and utmost care to protect,” Yoshida tourist district and Saipan’s their concern. I have gone over the less than 40 percent or more than projected additional revenue of fumes drifting over Garapan are said. commercial port. (NL) SENATE President Juan S. U.S. Navy reports and I believe the 60 percent of the minimum wage $500,000 for fiscal year 1993 from ever, said restricting the use of the Demapan yesterday asked the workmanship and quality assur­ set by law. the proposed 7 percent developer’s fee in areas which already have Commonwealth Ports Authority ance may be the sources of the Based on this range, live-in tax. adequate infrastructure wouldnot (CPA) to explain the unsafe condi­ problem,” Demapan said. maids, fishermen and farmers may “Right now, I’d like to see it be feasible.