“The booth is not in the loading and unloading zone, but in the driveway about 100 feet from the entrance of the terminal, which provides ample space for traffic flow,” said CPA Executive Director Efrain F. Camacho, in his Aug. 27 letter to Sen. Paul A. Manglona, R-Rota.
Manglona has expressed concern over CPA’s “decision to place a toll both along the loading and unloading lanes of the Saipan airport domestic terminal.”
“Let us move forward with more sensible plans that will help CPA’s financial position without placing undue burden on travelers in the CNMI,” Manglona went on to say.
He said CPA’s income generating scheme appeared to be a “safety hazard” in case of emergencies and will make domestic traveling in the CNMI “more expensive and inconvenient.”
“As far as parking charges are concerned, this [toll booth] is not a new development,” Camacho told Manglona.
“In fact, because of the problems with enforcement and maintenance of the parking meters, it has not been fully functional for about five years,” Camacho added.
“You would agree that passengers from Tinian and Rota have benefitted from free parking for quite some time now,” he said.
Camacho explained that appropriate measures have been provided, like a 10-minute grace period for loading and unloading as well as exceptions for the physically disabled.
“I think there are more critical issues facing the CNMI than the parking lot at the airport,” Camacho said.
