Babauta gives update on MVA projects

Marianas Visitors Authority destination specialist Tatiana Babauta addresses Rotary Club of Saipan members in yesterday’s meeting at the Giovanni’s restaurant of Hyatt Regency Saipan.
(Jon Perez)

Marianas Visitors Authority destination enhancement specialist Tatiana Babauta gave an update of the current and other ongoing projects by the CNMI’s tourism agency in Tuesday’s Rotary Club of Saipan meeting held at the Hyatt Regency Saipan’s Giovanni’s restaurant.

“You might have seen the repairs and construction being done along the Beach Road Pathway. We are relighting it and the project deadline is on June 16 this year,” said Babauta, who was the Rotary’s guest speaker.

“The project is long overdue. We take the initiative and [the Department of Public Works] helped us. Things are now moving fast and we are really hoping to meet the deadline for the repair and installation of the lights.”

She added that Eli Cabrera of the Division of Parks and Recreation also worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency where they checked all the damages of the Beach Road pathway and its lights from Typhoon Soudelor.

The MVA and DPW are replacing the lights being used in the lampposts at the pathway with energy-saving LED light bulbs.

Babauta also mentioned the MVA’s Flower Island project where they aim to further enhance the Paseo de Marianas by replanting and landscaping the Garapan tourist district. Royal Palm trees and Temple Fire Bougainvilleas are among the plants that will be replanted near the traffic medians on Beach Road near the American Memorial Park.

The MVA had also stationed security personnel and repaired the facilities in tourist destinations in the Marpi area, Saipan’s northern most part. “We fixed all the bathrooms and have security stationed there in our efforts to make the area safe,” said Babauta.

They also erected a giant structure mimicking a postcard with Suicide Cliff as the backdrop, where tourists can take pictures and selfies that they could upload on social media platforms using hashtags that would identify Saipan and the CNMI.

The MVA also has other projects in improving Kammer, Tachonga, and Taga beaches, and Suicide Cliff in Tinian, while they would also inspect Rota’s tourist spots to know what needs to be done.

Babauta said they also have the Trash for Cash program where schools, student groups, and other organizations collect trash and exchange it for cash where at least four to five groups are doing cleanups in a week.

“You are already helping to keep our island clean and beautiful and at the same time you are building financial support for your group. Some of the groups doing the cleanup use it for fundraising purposes,” added Babauta.