TINIAN Mayor Francisco M. Borja was one of those who first experienced the consequences of not having ferries that carry passengers between Saipan and Tinian.
Last Friday, Borja had to fall in line for three hours with other passengers, mostly tourists, to get to Saipan on a six-seater plane.
“We were surprised of what happened. We were not prepared for that. It’s really going to affect the economy of Tinian. Without the ferries, it will be hard for the customers to get to Tinian Dynasty,” Borja said in an interview.
U.S. Marshals on Thursday seized the two ferries following a federal court’s issuance of warrants for the arrest of the vessels. Saipan Express and Tinian Express, which are operated by Tinian Shipping, were sued by World Fame Shipping Ltd. over unpaid debts.
Borja said he will have a meeting with Tinian and other CNMI officials to look at possible solutions that could help Tinian Dynasty.
“We will also seek Gov. (Juan N.) Babauta’s help and see what we can do,” he said.
House Speaker Heinz S. Hofschneider, in a separate interview, said the government could help the company by looking into the possibility of providing some breaks in terms of board fees, exemptions on fuel tax or business gross revenue tax.
“It’s filling a need for the island of Tinian. So, in the sense that there is a public need for the transportation, we may in fact provide some remedies that are within our control and purview…and make sure that it stays afloat,” said Hofschneider, R-Saipan.
But the speaker cautioned that the government’s assistance should not be tantamount to a bailout.
“(We should not) get into the venture of owning the vessel. (Vessels) for ferrying people (should be) for the private sector to undertake,” he said.
