SENATE President Dennis James C. Mendiola has requested the Department of Public Works to disqualify Radio Com Saipan Inc. from any road construction project.
In a letter to DPW Secretary Ray N. Yumul on Jan. 30, 2025, the Senate president raised concerns about the quality of the $2.9 million resurfacing project on Route 10 in Sinapalo, Rota, which he said “resulted in widespread dissatisfaction due to unsafe conditions.”
Mendiola said the project’s objective was to enhance safety and improve pavement conditions, but the results “have fallen far short of expectations and have introduced new hazards, including the steep bump that poses a risk of vehicle rollovers, and a ‘rigid transition’ at the end of the stretch of the road undergoing resurfacing, which increases likelihood of accidents.”
Moreover, the newly resurfaced portion of the road “exhibits irregularities, making it hazardous for motorists,” he added.
Mendiola asked the DPW secretary to investigate the deficiencies of the Route 10 project, take corrective actions to address the unsafe conditions of the road and have a “rigorous oversight of future projects involving Radio Com [and] to disqualify [it] from any road construction project.”
“The people of Rota deserve infrastructure that prioritizes their safety and well-being. They trust that your department will act swiftly to resolve these issues and restore confidence in the quality of public works projects,” Mendiola said.
In reply to the Senate president, Yumul provided an update on the actions carried out by DPW regarding the issue.
He said the project will continue under a different and reliable contractor.
DPW terminated Radio Com’s contract on Oct. 2, 2024.
In his notice of termination, Yumul told Radio Com Saipan Inc. President Danilo Ganacias that DPW acknowledges the obstacles Radio Com faced due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, Yumul said, a number of years have passed since then, and the Rota project is still not completed. He also noted that the contractor lacked on-site equipment, was unable to complete an asphalt test strip, and failed to provide a status update and timeline for the project’s completion.
Radio Com Inc. responds
In a letter to Yumul on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, Radio Com said when it completed the anti-skid overlay test strip, “the beginning of the overlay section was properly graded to ensure a smooth transition for motorists upon entry.”
The contractor said there is only a bump if motorists are driving on the wrong side of the road, adding that the bump was not graded because the overlay was intended to connect with the adjacent section of the anti-skid overlay included in the project.
Radio Com said it was “very surprised” to receive Yumul’s letter.
Radio Com also said that the pre-mixed materials it used were sourced from a quarry-operating company on Saipan and shipped to Rota. The exact same materials have been used for many identical types of projects in the CNMI, Radio Com said.
It added that “the discrepancies in the specs are minor and have little impact on the durability of the road. We are willing to provide warranty of the anti-skid overlay if necessary.”
