E-LAND Group on Friday held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly renovated restrooms at Paupau Beach in San Roque.
Brian Shin, chief executive officer for Micronesia Resort Inc., a subsidiary of E-Land Group, said that the renovation of the facility, which includes a shower, cost about $20,000.
“It has been a long-cherished project not just for us, but for residents of Precinct 4 and visitors of Paupau Beach,” he said.
The restrooms have no running water, Shin said, but added that the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. “is working on it.”
E-Land Group, which operates Kensington Hotel, Pacific Islands Club and Coral Ocean Golf Resort, is part of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers’ Public Private Partnership initiative.
Micronesia Resort chief executive officer Brian Shin, sixth from left, joins hotel and CNMI government officials at the ribbon cutting for the newly renovated Paupau Beach restrooms on Friday afternoon.
“We strongly believe that partnership between the government and private business establishments is essential for development and prosperity of a community,” Shin said.
“E-Land Group strives to serve the community,” he added. “We are deeply grateful for all the support from the people of Saipan and will continue to pay attention to what the community needs.”
Shin said E-Land will further improve and develop Paupau Beach Park, which E-Land “adopted” in 2016.
Precinct 4 Rep. Joel Camacho thanked E-Land Group for undertaking the project.
He said the Paupau Beach restrooms had been “out of commission for many years.”
“To see it renovated and on the verge of being fully operational is a blessing to our community members who utilize the beach,” he said.
Since he took office in 2018, Camacho said he has been collaborating with Kensington Hotel on the implementation of community projects, including murals along the road in the area.
The other Precinct 4 House member, Rep. Sheila Babauta, thanked E-Land and Kensington Hotel for adopting Paupau Beach and committing to the maintenance of its pavilions, walkways and general area.
“I highly encourage our community to care for our public restrooms like you would in your own home,” she said. “Clean up after yourself, take responsibility for your impact, show gratitude, and help one another enjoy a nice, clean public restroom at one of our most beautiful beaches in the CNMI,” Babauta said.
She added that she has been “working closely with Kensington on the revitalization of the Paupau Beach restrooms and I am aware that water has not yet been connected by CUC. They’ve been communicating for the past few weeks and are still working on a pipe assignment. We’re grateful to CUC and their partnership.”
Also participating in the ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday were Senate President Victor Hocog, Speaker BJ Attao, Department of Lands and Natural Resources Secretary Anthony Benavente, Department of Public Lands real estate division director Bonnie Royal, Marianas Visitors Authority Managing Director Priscilla Iakopo, Tan Holdings Corp. president and chief executive officer Jerry Tan, who also chairs the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers.
