By Bryan Manabat
bryan@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
THE mayors of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota have issued two joint letters calling for urgent federal intervention to revive the Commonwealth’s faltering economy and opposing proposed seabed mining in CNMI waters, citing threats to the environment and cultural heritage.
In a Jan. 15 letter to President Donald J. Trump, Saipan Mayor Ramon “RB” Camacho, Tinian and Aguiguan Mayor Edwin P. Aldan, and Rota Mayor Aubry M. Hocog warned of a deepening economic collapse nearly six years after the onset of the Covid‑19 pandemic.
The mayors cited a 32.4% drop in visitor arrivals in fiscal year 2025 compared to the previous year, with arrivals still 58% below pre‑pandemic levels. Hotel occupancy has averaged just 15%, and more than 110 businesses and nonprofit entities have closed since early 2024. Employment has fallen by more than one-third, and government revenues have contracted sharply, threatening essential public services.
They also raised alarms over the loss of international air access, noting that weekly inbound seats have plunged from more than 12,000 to fewer than 4,700. The mayors warned that the potential withdrawal of a major employer could trigger cascading failures across the private sector and public finances.
In their letter, the mayors urged federal support to stabilize and revive the CNMI economy, focusing on restoring international air access and unlocking tourism demand without requiring new congressional appropriations. They requested:
• Exempt CNMI from national flight caps by applying Annex VI of the U.S.-China Air Transport Agreement, restoring access to the Chinese tourism market.
• Expand the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program to include the Philippines, opening a major nearby source of visitor demand.
• Redirect pledged investment from South Korea and Japan to restore air service, leveraging existing agreements made by the administration.
• Hold an executive-level meeting between the White House, the Department of Transportation, and CNMI officials to identify near-term solutions as part of ongoing Section 902 consultations.
These echoed a similar request made by Gov. David M. Apatang, U.S. Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds, Senate President Karl R. King-Nabors and House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez in a letter to President Trump and Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command.
The mayors said these actions are urgent, achievable, and aligned with U.S. strategic interests in the Indo‑Pacific. Without intervention, they warned, the CNMI faces further economic contraction and continued loss of air connectivity.
In a separate Jan. 12 letter to Congresswoman King-Hinds, the mayors voiced strong opposition to proposed seabed mining in CNMI waters. They cited a lack of reliable information, environmental assessments, and public consultation, arguing that the activity poses significant risks to fragile marine ecosystems and local livelihoods.
“Our ocean is central to the livelihood, food security, and cultural heritage of our people,” the mayors stated. “Seabed mining poses a significant risk of permanent damage to these fragile ecosystems, with consequences that could last for generations.”
The mayors called for full transparency, comprehensive studies, and meaningful community engagement before any seabed mining proposal is considered, emphasizing that decisions affecting local waters must involve the public.
King-Hinds herself is “urging a careful, legally grounded approach to any future federal action involving offshore mineral resources near the [CNMI], warning that scientific uncertainty and gaps in existing law require heightened caution, not acceleration.”
The mayors said their letters reflect CNMI leaders’ growing concern over the territory’s economic trajectory and natural resource protection as the Commonwealth seeks recovery. The mayors said proposed federal actions — such as restoring air access and expanding visa waivers — would not require new appropriations and align with broader U.S. regional priorities.
Northern Islands Mayor Val Taisakan Jr. also supports the intent of the letters but was unable to attend the mayors’ meeting held Thursday morning at Sunny Side Restaurant in Garapan.
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.
