THE first day of the direct passenger fee collection went on smoothly, according to the Commonwealth Ports Authority.
“There’s no delay whatsoever in terms of ferry operation,” Saipan port manager Antonio B. Cabrera said in an interview yesterday.
CPA began collecting $2.25 from each ferry passenger on Wednesday midnight following the failure of Tinian Shipping to remit over $1.1 million of passenger fees to the agency.
“There’s no problem so far. They sort of question it, but people complied with the regulation,” said Alice Tudela, a CPA staff assigned to collect the fees at Charlie Dock.
Tudela, since Wednesday midnight, was accompanied in the port by two CPA police officers, Juan Rebuenoy and Chris Tenorio.
“Everything is under control,” Tenorio said.
Tinian Shipping terminal supervisor Merwin Ramos said the new procedure posed some inconvenience to passengers, especially tourists.
“But overall, it’s been manageable,” Ramos said.
He said the company is giving some tourists, particularly those with tour packages, vouchers which exempt them from the CPA fee.
“What happens is the company will pay for these tourists because they have pre-arranged package with us,” he said.
For every trip, the vessel’s captain, Edwin Ebreo, has to clear with CPA the number of passengers on board to determine the exact fees.
Ebreo had 42 passengers yesterday for Tinian.
Tinian Express makes five trips between Saipan and Tinian.
