Previous Story
San Nicolas pledges to satisfy USGS judgment
In 2005, the U.S. District Court ruled that the Municipality of Tinian and Aguiguan should pay the federal government for the reasonable value of work and materials provided by the U.S. Geological Survey when they were contracted in 1989 by then-mayor Tinian James Mendiola to engage in a water source investigation project. The project was deemed necessary at the time because Tinian only had one potable water source that was insufficient for the development of its casino industry.
The U.S. government, who brought the suit in 2002, sued the municipality and then-Tinian mayor Francisco M. Borja in his official capacity, claiming over $1.7 million in contractual damages. Over the course of several administrations, the debt owed to the U.S. federal government has never been addressed through appropriations and remains unpaid.
Tinian Mayor Joey P. San Nicolas and the Tinian leadership now pledges to work collaboratively with the U.S. District Attorney’s Office, who has been in contact with the mayor, about resolving the outstanding judgment immediately.
“We have a duty to pay our debt. This is money owed to the federal government and we have a court order saying that we must pay,” San Nicolas said.
He vowed to work with the Tinian Legislative Delegation to identify and appropriate funds immediately to satisfy the judgment.
