Cow manure can be seen on the road near the entrance to the Grotto diving spot in Marpi.
COMMUNITY volunteer and Parks and Recreation staffer Marcelino “Max” Aguon is once again asking the owner/s of the cows roaming freely in Marpi to secure them as they are leaving manure on the road that leads to the popular tourist sites in the area.
Cows roam freely by the side of the road that leads to major tourist spots in Marpi.
It does not look good for tourists, he said, adding that he has been removing cow manure near the Grotto parking area since Monday.
Aguon is asking ranchers to help keep Marpi a tourist-friendly area.
In 2011, the Marianas Visitors Authority expressed concern about the negative effect on tourism of cow manure in the area.
The Department of Public Lands, for its part, issued a one-week grace period for ranchers and cattle owners to ensure that their cattle were in the permitted areas in Marpi.
DPL said cattle found on the loose would be seized and eradicated and the cattle owners’ DPL-issued grazing permit could be revoked.
In 2020, MVA said cow manure in Marpi remained a public health concern and an eyesore.
The CNMI Veterans Affairs Office said cow manure was also tarnishing the “sacredness” of the veterans cemetery in the area.
