As the CNMI begins long‑term recovery from Super Typhoon Sinlaku, Del. Kimberlyn King‑Hinds says one of the Commonwealth’s biggest challenges will be ensuring it has enough workers to rebuild damaged homes, ports, roads and critical infrastructure.
King‑Hinds said the scale of destruction across Saipan, Tinian and Rota will require a sustained labor force capable of handling reconstruction projects that could span years.
“There’s a lot of reconstruction that needs to happen,” she said.
She said her office is already working with federal agencies to understand what support is available and what additional requests may be needed to stabilize the workforce during the rebuilding phase.
A key concern raised by residents, she said, is whether foreign workers—who make up a significant portion of the CNMI’s labor force—will qualify for federal disaster programs such as Disaster Unemployment Assistance. King‑Hinds said those eligibility questions are still being clarified by federal agencies.
“For me, it doesn’t matter who you are. We all went through this storm together,” she said. “If there is any way I can help make things better for you because you are here helping build the CNMI, then I will exhaust every effort to find that help.”
King‑Hinds said the CNMI’s recovery will depend on both funding and manpower, and she intends to advocate for policies that keep enough workers in the Commonwealth to support reconstruction.
“Our community and our economy are vulnerable,” she said. “We need the workforce to rebuild, and we’re going to push for everything that helps us get there.”
