Fitial will hire anotherDC lobbyist (Mariana Islands) -sweatshops/Abramoff

[phoebe]

posted this yesterday in another thread but it bears keeping an eye on.

Apparently someone in the Marianas is VERY interested in keeping the status quo ongoing in the Marianas - methinks there's more to this Marianas thing than meets the eye..

http://www.mvariety.com/frontpage/front01.htm

snip

THE government’s financial condition is not getting better, but the new governor says he will still hire a lobbyist in Washington, D.C. to “save” the garment industry from “federal takeover” legislation.

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, in a press conference on Friday, said his administration will hire a lobbyist so that the CNMI can retain control over its labor and immigration policies.
“(We will hire) the best (lobbyist),” he said. “As a matter of fact we have received a proposal from the number one lobbyist in Washington D.C.”

snip

The CNMI government paid Abramoff and his firms close to $10 million from 1995 to 2001.
Fitial has described Abramoff as the CNMI’s “protector” for successfully blocking legislation that would have extended federal wage and immigration laws to the islands.


snip

Fitial is a former executive of garment magnate and Saipan Tribune owner Willie Tan.

[phoebe]

1. here's another website - pretty devastating stuff re: life in Marianas

http://www.saipansucks.com/about.htm

sounds like a really fun place to live..