Where have all the workers gone?

Only 100-200 workers and other members of the community showed up Saturday at the prayer vigil in support of the US Senate-sponsored federalization bill and Rep. Tina Sablan’s draft bill granting long-term residency to foreign workers.

What a disappointment not only to the Human Dignity Movement, but also to the workers and supporters.

The organizers and speakers at the event – including Atty. Mark Hanson, Rep. Tina Sablan and representatives of the Filipino, Chinese, Bangladeshi communities – noted the result of disunity only four months since a historic crowd of 5,000-10,000 who marched for a better immigration status for long-term legal guest workers.

By now, Deanne Siemer and company, plus Dekada and their lawyer, may have been celebrating the fact that fewer showed up at the prayer vigil than the exploratory discussion on long-term residency held Wednesday night.

Suspicions, doubts and hatred directly and indirectly resulted in disunity among the workers who once stood “united” in their call for an improved immigration status.

Workers were urged to be cautious in choosing the direction to take – support the US Senate federalization bill which is expected to pass soon, support Tina Sablan’s draft bill for longer-term residency status, or support the exploratory discussions on the CNMI government granting of long-term residency status to long-time foreign workers.

Towards the end of the prayer vigil, organizers asked those in attendance to sign a petition calling for permanent immigration status in the CNMI.

The petition was addressed to the US Congress, the United Nations, Human Rights Watch and Nikolao Pula of the Interior.

Whatever happened to the Unity March?

Permanent residency for aliens courtesy of the CNMI gov't? Really now?

The Fitial administration apparently wants to grant its own version of "permanent residency" to longtime nonresident workers in the CNMI. But this early, the idea is getting lukewarm response; if not outright rejection.

Early this afternoon, Deanne Siemer, who calls herself a volunteer counsel for the governor, along with Maya Kara, met with representatives of longtime nonresident workers, for a "consultation meeting" regarding the granting of permanent residency to eligible alien workers.

It was not supposed to be a secret meeting, but nobody from the media was invited (or maybe they'd have an interview with the key players later), and only a few were advised of the gathering beforehand.

There were about 30 present in the meeting, including Atty. Steve Woodruff, Greg Cruz, and alien workers.

What makes the CNMI government's idea of granting permanent immigration status to longtime guest workers better than what the federal government would have offered?

Among the questions in people's mind: What exactly would a CNMI government-granted permanent residence status entail? What are the benefits to alien workers? To residents? Why only now? Is it only for show? To appease the federal government, now that it is federalizing CNMI immigration? What are the eligibility requirements? Whose idea is this? Why call it permanent residency? Why not long-term alien residency? How could it be done -- through plebiscite?

The next 'consultation meeting' has been tentatively set for April 2, so be ready with your questions.