__ _ ¿Marianas ÍNevv§ fe S ig f Micronesia's Leading Newspaper Since 1972 V0l19 N0.84 Saipan, MP 96950 ©1991 Mananas Variety January 11,1991 Serving CNMI for 19 Years Garment workers stage walk-out by Teri M. Flores Torres. The eighty-eigni women, all n was aoout 9 a.m. the same women’s salaries. W hile driving along the Gualo working as garment workers for day when they decided to walk­ The women were also assured W hat seemed to be a holiday Rai area Wednesday morning, Linson, did not exactly know out of the factory in protest of the that every two weeks, a labor for most people on Saipan did Torres saw a throng of Chinese where they were headed to. A ll company’s failure to pay them official w ill be at the factory to not turn out to be one for Com­ women all walking towards they knew was that they were their salaries. monitor the payroll so as to as­ merce and Labor Chief Jack Susupe. “ going to Susupe.” The women, most of whom sure that everybody gets paid. came from Guangdong, China, Torres said that the company has worked for the company for is a prime candidate for closure. almost over a year now. They He said that he w ill not hesistate complained that they have not to close down the factory since received any payment from the this is the second time that it has company for the past three been found to be in violation of months. A ll they got from com­ labor regulations. pany officials were promi-ses, Torres has also directed labor which they never honored. officials to contact the bonding According to them, they were company for Linson’s to assure only receiving S100-S200 a that the women w ill get their month. They also alleged that pay today. He said that the Linson’s has failed to pay them women w ill probably be paid their overtime dues. on the basis of S2 .15 an hour but Torres met with company of­ no amount for an overtime was ficials later the same day and given since their contracts have found out that the allegations not yet been reviewed. made by the employees were One of the women said that true. they were being paid S I. 70 an He said that Mr. Wong, a hour for overtime work which company representative admit­ is way below the required S3.23 ted to him that they have not paid rate. their employees. Torres said that Torres said that the women No Work - No Pay he has already directed Wong to have been advised to return to 88 Chinese workers from the Linson Garment factory staged a walk-out to protest their company’s contact the Hong Kong office so their barracks where they w ill failure to give them their pay. they can transfer funds to pay the Continued on page 25 Somare- Papua New Guinea re-visits Saipan by Ronel B. Concepcion Governor at his office in the after­ under the Territory,” he remem­ with Governor Larry I. Guenao “is noon. bers. very interesting, we are just talking Papua New Guinea Foreign A f­ He said that there is nothing in He explained that in 1971, under about development in general and fairs Minister Michael Somare is particular to their visit to the CN M I, a U S department grant and as a acquaintingmyselfatthesametime on Saipan for a brief sightseeing, except that theydecided to see other member of the Constitutional De­ with what is going on here.” before returning back to his home­ places aside from Guam. velopment Committee of He said that he is very much town. Somaie was also the ‘Founding Papua...’’came here and we were interested in the tourism industry The Papua New Guinea official Father ofPapuaNew Guinea,” and looking at the future political status and would like to find out how came from Guam afta· attending its first prime m inista..Jte said that of my country.” effective is the CN M I in promoting the inauguration ceremony held for he “ took the country to indepen­ Somare stressed that “ coming the tourism industry here. Governor Joseph Ada andLt Gov. dence in the 70’s, and now serving back today with my wife...it is a The foreign affairs minister and Frank Bias. as the foreign affairs minister.” completely different placeJt has his group is scheduled to leave this Somare and members of his en- “ I was hae 20 years ago..and a gonemiles and miles ahead in terms afternoon for Guam, and on Satur­ touragearrived at lOin the morning lot of changes has taken place. It of development” day, for P o t Moresby, Papua New Thursday and was met by the was a very small place then, still He mentioned that the meeting Guinea’s capital city. , Michael Somare CUC waives Water-Sewer cut off by Ronel B. Concepcion Guerrero said that they at the C U C is hoping that these control, “ to make sure that all the accounts that the line deliquent customers can come to their office today and crews have on their listing are correct and for verifica­ The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation has settle their accounts or make a “ compromise.” tion purposes before the power line is disconnected” changed its earlier decision to disconnect water and Because of the large turn out of the deliquent customas Guerrero came out with these statements as a follow sew a forthose 90-day deliquentresidential customers settling theirdues with theCUC, since the strictdisconnec- up to his letter to the Governor on Monday, which states starting today. B u t p o w a disconnection for 90-day tion notice came into public view, Guerrero is also waiving that the 2,523 residential households C N M I wide, hav­ deliquent commercial establishments w ill go on as the reconnection fee for those whose lines were cut off. ing a three-month old due w ith the C U C w ill be scheduled “ If they are disconnected today and they come in and disconnected of their power, water and sewage connec­ “ After deciding tb be lenient again and considering pay..,I w ill waive the reconnection fee to show them that I tions. what the effect could be...water and sew a w ill not be am w illing to compromise and cooperate,” he pointed out His letter to the Governor, to which the Governor has disconnectedforhouseholdresidentsbecauseof health Guerrero is encouraging every customer to be brave no comment, further provides that most of these deliquent consideration...,” According to the CUC Executive enough in “ cleaning their bills.” families are those “low income families...that can not D irecta Ray Guerrero in a recent press conference. CUC’s Guerrero said that he is presently working with afford to even pay 50 per cent of their total bills ” Howeva, power,water and sewer disconnection nine line crew groups covering the entire island accom­ Guerrero’scommunication hints thatthismovebythe between 100 to 150 deliquent commercial establish­ plishing the cut-off operation. CUC is partly caused by the pressure being imposed to ments “ w ill not be excused,” he stressed He said that the C UC also assigned one man at the radio them by members of the Legislature. P A C $TDU*> FRIDAY, JANUARY 11,1991-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-3 2-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-FRIDAY-JANUARY 11,1991 | | l | | A Meeting Place For Our Guerra arrives Saipan for 702 talks v l Opinions.Opinions, ..... And Yours. by Ronel B. Concepcion with companion ’sNancy Boone, Governor Larry I. Guerrero, uled departure on Saturday af­ President George Bush as his Chief of Territorial Liasion; Special Assistant to the Gov. ternoon. official representative to negoti­ U.S. Office of Territorial and Larry Morgan, OTIALegislative John Joyner, Assistant AG Eric The US delegation w ill meet ate a new seven-year financial International Affairs Assistant Affairs Director; and Thomas Smith, OTIA CNMI Field Rep­ today the Governor and the agreement with the CNM I. Interim Secretary Stella Guerra Sansonetti, Solicitor for the De­ resentative Jeff Schorr, MVB C N M I representatives to the 702 arrived Thursday afternoon at partment of Interior, arrived at Executive Director Bennet talks at 10 in the morning, to After meeting with the 702 Jr’s Agenda the Saipan International Airport around 4:20 p.m. aboard a Con­ Seman, and other top officials plan and schedule the talks of the representatives, Guerra w ill ad­ TtTOTTORT AT ■ by John DelRosario, Jr.*&# to meet CNM I top officials re­ tinental Aircraft with their aides. future financial funding between dress the annual membership garding the 702 talks. Guerra’s group, after visits to The group was then billeted at the US and the Commonwealth. meeting of the M V B at the Hyatt The OTTA Assistant Secretary, Guam and Palau, was met by the Hyatt Hotel until their sched- Guerra was appointed by US Regency’s Gilligan, noontime. Coral Ocean Point (parent I am ready to prepare the discussion with perhaps no solu­ Labor Dept Director company Suwaso Corporation) Marianas Basket to catch what­ tion in sight U .S. intransigence plans to build condominiums ever it is that they wish to invest to accept an Iraqi Proposal to along the cliffline in Koblerville or dump in golf resorts out here. allow the resolution of the Gulf overlooking number five fairway I dare say that we need to carve Crisis by way of an Arab Solu­ Should Be Recognized and green.