Leo Tudela
THE Commonwealth Ports Authority is demanding that Star Marianas Air pay $1.2 million in outstanding debt.
In a letter Thursday last week, CPA Executive Director Leo B. Tudela informed SMA President Shaun Christian that the local airline’s account is delinquent. The outstanding amounts that cover the period of Oct. 1, 2022, to May 2024 now total $1,294,497.16 for the airports on Saipan, Tinian and Rota, Tudela said.
SMA’s outstanding balance for fees at Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport amounts to $573,881.61 Tudela said.
For Francisco Manglona Borja/Tinian International Airport, SMA’s outstanding balance is $286,987.98 and for Benjamin Taisakan Manglona International Airport on Rota, the airline owes CPA $433,627.57, Tudela added.
He gave SMA 30 days to make a payment.
Variety was unable to get a comment from SMA.
In December 2022, SMA took CPA to Superior Court, accusing the ports authority of breaching the airline use agreement that both parties entered into in April 2009 by failing to adjust fees and charges based on CPA’s actual cost of services provided to SMA.
On Jan. 31, 2023, CPA filed an opposition to SMA’s motion, saying that CPA adjusted the rates and charges annually by fiscal year, based on cost of facilities or services provided to SMA, and the actual amount due was calculated and compared to the amounts paid by SMA to determine whether SMA overpaid or underpaid CPA.
On Feb. 27, 2024, Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho granted in part and denied in part SMA’s motion for reconsideration of his earlier order denying SMA’s motion for partial summary judgment.
The judge issued another order on the same day, denying CPA’s motion for reconsideration of his earlier decision not to address materiality in the summary judgment motion, saying that such decision does not demonstrate any clear error or manifest injustice against CPA.
