Paul A. Manglona
SENATOR Paul A. Manglona is urging the Commonwealth Ports Authority to terminate its lease agreement with Rota Terminal and Transfer Co. Inc., the only firm providing stevedoring services at the Rota seaport.
In his letter to CPA Executive Director Leo Tudela, the Rota senator provided copies of letters and other documents pertaining to the stevedoring services on Rota, specifically the “extensive port crane problem” at the Rota West Harbor.
The lack of crane at Rota West Harbor has been brought to the attention of CPA officials since 2019.
On April 26, 2024, CPA Board Chair Jose C. Ayuyu and Tudela sent RT&T a notice of default, giving the company 30 days to address the following lease agreement violations: failure to remove damaged equipment, failure to maintain operable crane, and failure to maintain CNMI business license.
Manglona told Tudela that these “egregious” failures of RT&T must not continue, and CPA has no other option but to terminate the lease contract with the stevedoring company.
He said RT&T’s failure to provide the required services and fully comply with the lease agreement with CPA “is a horrible travesty ultimately resulting in costly expenditures by the shipping companies, businesses, and of course, the high commodity prices passed on to the Rota consumers.”
He said “absolutely no one” believes that RT&T will provide required efficient services and impose only reasonable charges at the Rota West Harbor.
As of press time Thursday evening, RT&T office manager Viola Atalig had yet to respond to Variety’s request for comment.
