Kimberlyn King-Hinds
A FEDERAL Aviation Administration official has commended the Commonwealth Ports Authority’s former board chair, Kimberlyn King-Hinds, for her “remarkable efforts to address issues that impacted the sustainability of the CNMI airport system.”
In a Jan. 26, 2024, letter to the new CPA Executive Director Leo Tudela, Mark A. McClardy, FAA Western-Pacific Region Office of Airports director, said: “Over the course of these past years the [CNMI] has endured numerous challenges from natural disasters and the Covid pandemic that globally affected everyone.”
He said CPA under King-Hinds’ leadership “was diligent and successful in addressing Airport Improvement Program…audit findings, which date as far back as 2008, by implementing corrective action measures and standard operating procedures to ensure compliance. The re-occurring corrective measures and annual mandatory procurement trainings, which have also been implemented, will work to ensure that CPA’s clean annual audits are critical to CPA’s continued receipt of Federal Aviation Administration grant funding.”
In addition to addressing audit findings in a responsive manner, “we express our appreciation for the outstanding partnership that we have enjoyed with CPA over the past number of years,” McClardy said.
“Despite challenging times, CPA has done a great job of positioning the CNMI airports as well as possible with respect to federal investments in airport infrastructure, pursuit of improved air service, and supporting the increased military training, and/or presence, at airports located in Saipan, Rota, and Tinian,” he added.
McClardy highlighted two noteworthy events that King-Hinds supported:
• An Aug. 2022 joint visit by the FAA, the Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Highway Administration. “During this visit, we met with CPA, and other CNMI departments, to explore how to improve land, air, and ferry transportation needs within the CNMI,” McClardy said.
• A July 2023 meeting in Washington, D.C. with various FAA and Department of Transportation officials to explore opportunities to improve federal funding for CNMI airports and improved air service to Rota and Tinian.
McClardy told Tudela that he looks forward to working with him and his team to continue mutual efforts to improve the federal support of aviation needs within the CNMI.
“As part of your upcoming visit with our Honolulu Airports District Office, we look forward to discussing the continuity of these efforts,” McClardy said.
He will discuss the following topics with Tudela as part of continued partnership in promoting aviation safety in the CNMI:
• 14 CFR Part 139 requirements
• Airport Capital Improvement Plan
• Airport Improvement Program
• AIP Grant Assurances
• CPA’s AIP funded projects
• Pacific Region ARFF Training Center
