Division of Parks and Recreation staff work seven days a week and manage the waste of areas such as this location just south of the Garapan Fishing Base.
DIVISION of Parks and Recreation rangers and groundskeepers are “critical for maintaining our island treasure,” Director Michael Cruz said.
In an interview on Tuesday, Oct. 25, he said his staff of 18 rangers and groundskeepers are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of 49 beach parks, public parks, recreational facilities, and tourist sites.
Their responsibilities include waste collection and grass clearing, he added.
The sites under the Division of Parks and Recreation include Afetna Beach Park, San Isidro Beach Park, Susupe Regional Beach Park, Civic Center Beach Park, Kilili Beach Park, Garapan Shoreline Beach, Lower Base Beach, Tanapag Beach Park, Paupau Beach Park, Marine Beach, Laulau Dive Site, Ladder Beach, Obyan Beach, and Makaka Beach.
The tourist sites maintained by the division include the Korean Peace Memorial, the Okinawa Peace Memorial, the Last Command Post, the Japanese Peace Memorial, the Banzai Cliff Lookout, the Grotto dive site, the Bird Island Lookout, Kalabera Cave, the Suicide Cliff Lookout, the old Japanese jail, the Susupe Peace Memorial, the San Jose Memorial, and the Marpi road shoulder.
Garapan Central Park and Gov. Eloy S. Inos Peace Park are also under the purview of Parks and Recreation, Cruz said, adding that there are three other parks managed by the division.
He said to manage these sites, as well as two softball fields and 15 basketball courts on Saipan, groundskeepers and rangers work seven days a week.
Cruz said on weekends, four staff members manage the waste collection from beach sites on Saipan’s western shore.
He said two staff members begin their work at 6 a.m. in the south and work their way north, to around Quartermaster. The two other staff members likewise start at 6 a.m., but at Paupau Beach Park, and then work south.
They also clear the other sites around the island during the weekends, but Cruz said the beach sites are the priorities.
Waste collected by rangers and groundskeepers is disposed at the Department of Public Works transfer station, and is considered a “public benefit,” so Parks and Recreation does not pay for their disposal, Cruz said.
“With this kind of work, you’ll never [have enough staff]. But you just have to make do with what you have. We can manage,” Cruz told Variety.
He said the work of rangers and groundskeepers is beneficial to locals and tourists.
“What we do is we maintain the island’s natural beauty and provide recreational opportunities for residents and visitors alike,” Cruz said. “Our parks, recreational areas, and facilities not only enhance our quality of life, but they also contribute significantly to the tourism industry, which is a substantial source of revenue for our economy.”
