SPEAKING during the public comment period of the Senate session on Tinian Thursday afternoon was Tinian Mayor Edwin P. Aldan, who expressed his full support for the Senate joint resolution to give retirees a bonus.
“I hope that the House and the Senate can soon agree on a method to fund the bonuses so that our retirees can receive their much-needed financial assistance. However, it is also my understanding that the House intends to fund the bonuses from the hotel occupancy tax allocated to the municipalities through [the Marianas Visitors Authority],” he said.
According to the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands, the hotel occupancy rate in February 2022 was only 24%, providing a significant reduction of funds received prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Please know that these funds are the only funds available to promote and revitalize our tourism industry on Tinian. Moreover, these funds are used to fund the annual festivals and for the maintenance of our public beaches and tour sites. These are of grave concern to our municipality. As you know, we have committed and continued to make sure that we maintain these beaches,” Aldan said.
He noted that this maintenance includes public bathrooms, litter control, and ground maintenance.
“If [the House continues] to insist that HOT funds will be taken away from MVA, it will drastically affect the municipality. I heavily rely on this funding to source out some of the sites that are on Tinian. If you go to our sites, you may see that it is well-maintained. I also continue to provide power and water, build new facilities, toilet areas, and showerheads for our guests. Tinian now has really developed as one of the places to see in the CNMI,” he added.
Although Tinian has very few rooms — roughly 68 to 79 — available to visitors, a lot of tourists take advantage of this, Aldan said.
“It’s a challenge, but a lot of our tourists take advantage of the scenery and cleanliness of these parks and beaches. If the House version continues to be the route that the Legislature will take, it will really impact our municipality, so I urge the Senate to reject the House’s intent to use HOT funds and offer an alternative funding source for the retiree bonuses, so I can continue to promote, rebuild, and enhance Tinian’s tourism industry… This is an issue that is of great concern to my administration and the municipality of Tinian,” he said.
The Senate on Thursday unanimously voted to adopt Senate Joint Resolution 22-9, approving Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ request to create a new business unit in the fiscal year 2022 budget to fund the retirees’ $1,000 bonuses.
Independent Rota Sens. Paul A. Manglona and Teresita A. Santos, and Saipan Democratic Sen. Edith E. Deleon Guerrero voted yes “with reservations.”
Edwin Aldan
