He said he had a “candid dialogue” with Pacific Development Inc., a tour agency, regarding the potentials of the Northern Islands.
Aldan said PDI also looked into the possibility of sugar cane farming on Pagan and the conversion of by-products into alternative energy sources like ethanol fuel.
In his letter to PDI president Yoichi Matsumura, the mayor thanked the company for its “unique opportunity” in sharing its plan with the Northern Islands Development Planning Committee.
The committee is collecting some inputs from different sectors of community for the upcoming Northern Islands Development Summit.
Aldan told Matsumura that he agreed that passenger cruise ships can visit Pagan for a wildlife adventure, bed-and-breakfast vacation, rugged terrain hiking and relaxation in the island’s hot spring and black beach.
“Indeed, it makes business sense for returning cruises to make the stopover, as they head back to the port of destination in Japan,” Aldan said.
It is also important to maintain the CNMI’s longstanding relationship with the Micronesian Repatriation Association in Okinawa which been holding annual pilgrimages to the commonwealth, Aldan added.
“It is critical that our generation work closely with the up-and-coming generation, affording them an opportunity to understand the extent of the relationship between our countries, and especially in transitioning the leadership helm with guidance from the surviving members, so that we could engage the interest of the younger Okinawans in carrying out this tradition in performing annual pilgrimages to the Marianas, as did their parents,” the mayor told Matsumura.
Aldan assured PDI of his full cooperation and assistance in making the company a partner in the development plan of the Northern Islands.
The mayor said they will further discuss PDI’s development plans with the Northern Islands Re-Settlement and Re-Development Planning Group.
“I look forward to our continuing, productive, and visionary consultative meetings,” Aldan told Matsumura.
