THE Commonwealth Ports Authority board of directors wants to continue its dialogue with Star Marianas, CPA Board Chair Ramon A. Tebuteb said.
In a special meeting last week, Tebuteb informed his fellow board members that he was communicating with a Star Marianas representative in an effort to continue a dialogue, “hopefully within a couple of weeks.”
He said the CPA board secretary, Lyn Duenas, was making arrangements.
Board Vice Chair Steve Mesngon said they are “eager to find out what has been happening.”
He said every time the CPA board makes a request to meet with Star Marianas, CPA’s management fails to make the arrangements.
Addressing Star Marianas officials, Mesngon said, “We want to give you guys a heads-up that we’ve been wanting to see you guys for the longest time since last year…. The board really wants to sit down and see what amicable solution we can work with…. I’m tired of just throwing letters back and forth. We want to sit down and iron things out,” Mesngon added.
CPA, through Executive Director Leo Tudela, earlier sent SMA a demand letter asking the airline company to pay its “$1.2 million in outstanding debts.”
SMA Chair Robert Christian, for his part, accused CPA of coercing airlines into complying with “non-compensatory fees,” describing it as “egregious behavior” that cannot be tolerated.
On July 24, 2024, SMA notified Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, Tinian Mayor Edwin P. Aldan and Rota Mayor Aubry Hocog that the airline would stop its inter-island flights effective Oct. 15, 2024, due to the “unsustainable airport fee structure imposed by the Commonwealth Ports Authority, which renders continued service economically unviable.”
On Aug. 27, 2024, SMA said it was rescinding its notice of intent to terminate air services to Tinian and Rota “after a constructive meeting” with the governor, Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang and their legal counsel.
SMA is the only airline that provides inter-island flight service in the CNMI.
