A GOVERNMENT and private sector collaboration on Wednesday, Oct. 2, used sandbags to cover exposed metal debris adjacent to the former Hyatt hotel in Garapan.
Velma Reyes of the Department of Public Lands said staff from DPL and members of the Department of Corrections Outreach Program manually filled burlap bags with sand near the Ada gymnasium. The burlap bags were then transferred to Garapan, where they were used to cover the World War II debris found on the shoreline of the former Hyatt.
Aside from DPL and Corrections, Reyes said the Division of Coastal Resources Management, the Department of Public Works, the Saipan Mayor’s Office and MB Capital LLC, which has taken over the Hyatt land lease, participated in the project planning.
The burlap bags were purchased by the Marianas Visitors Authority and Crowne Plaza, Reyes said.
“[Corrections] has really been moving forward with this project,” Reyes said. “It’s very important that we cover the debris.”
In April 2024, Variety reported that the shoreline at this portion of Garapan was experiencing intense erosion.
Prior to Hyatt’s closure, a marine sports vendor, Harumitsu Ono, called on island leaders to “protect our beautiful beach” by relocating sand from one portion of the island to the Hyatt shoreline.
Hyatt’s former marketing manager, Bea O’Malley, told Variety that the debris was on public land and that governmental permitting processes needed to be followed in order for the debris to be removed.
World War II debris can be seen on the shore of the beach near the former Hyatt hotel in Garapan.
Department of Corrections Outreach Program members fill burlap bags with sand piled at the Ada gym on Wednesday, Oct. 2.
Department of Public Lands staff members fill sand bags on Wednesday, Oct. 2.
With the bags they filled with sand, Department of Public Lands staff members will cover the World War II debris at the beach near the former Hyatt.
