Dynasty ordered to pay $191,400 in civil penalty by Northern Mariana Islands

[TexasTowelie]

U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona yesterday ordered the owners of the defunct Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino to pay $191,400 in civil penalty to the U.S. Labor secretary for their willful and repeat violations of the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Manglona issued the order in granting the U.S. Labor secretary and co-defendants’ motion for summary judgment as to all three claims filed by the Tinian Dynasty owner, Hong Kong Entertainment (Overseas) Investments Ltd. (HKE), and HKE president Kwan Man.

The judge ruling also affirmed the U.S. Department of Labor’s Administrative Review Board’s final decision issued on Nov. 25, 2014 that assessed such civil money penalty against HKE and Man.

Manglona concluded that, as a matter of law, the compliance agreement entered by HKE and the Labor secretary did not preclude the imposition of civil money penalties for HKE’s violations of the overtime provisions of the FLSA.

Read more: http://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/dynasty-ordered-pay-191400-civil-penalty/

[John1956PA]

1. Coercion into the life of Prostitution is another topic relating to the North Mariana Islands.

From http://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/prostitutes-garapan-willingly/ :

“We had cases in 2009 right before the federal government took over local immigration. We had a huge onslaught of mainly Chinese but also Indian nationals who were told that if they were here when federal takeover happens, they would be automatically granted U.S. citizenship and could go to Guam and help with the military buildup.”

Brown said many of them paid anywhere between $4,000 and $60,000 and majority didn’t even know they were being trafficked.

“They just find out that’s something’s wrong because when they get here it’s not what they’ve been told. They’re told to get this and there’s an extra fee for that. They keep paying, paying, paying to this organization that is well organized and had a common thread throughout India and China.”

And because of the debt they accumulate, they are forced to work in jobs or do things against their will.