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‘NMI needs to sustain development’
The CNMI needs to sustain all the development that it had been experiencing lately especially on Saipan, according to Marianas Visitors Authority board member Jerry Tan in a presentation during last Friday’s Vin d’honneur and gala dinner for the 118th celebration of Philippine Independence Day at the Hibiscus Hall of Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan.
Tan said the CNMI went through a very tough time in the last decade especially the decline of Japanese tourists, considered one of its biggest markets back then, after Japan Airlines ceased operations on Saipan in 2005.
“The CNMI went through a very tough time. And it is only now that we are experiencing economic growth and the rise of other tourism markets. We need to sustain that, we want sustainable development,” said Tan. “There’s a difference of overdevelopment and sustainable development. We want stability.”
Job security, a capable workforce, infrastructure, a safer community, low crime rate, and having affordable housing and utilities are some of the ways that he sees could sustain that development.
Diversification is another area that could help the CNMI, be it in tourists or foreign investors. Right now Koreans and Chinese comprise the largest market of tourists that visit the islands with Japanese and Russians coming in occasionally.
Tan added that his fellow MVA officials also wanted to revive the Japanese market and they are looking of ways how to do that. “Hopefully, with the help of the new Japanese consul [Toshio Matsumura] we could do that.”
Attracting other foreign investors is another way of diversifying the CNMI’s economy with several Japanese, Korean, and Chinese companies already doing business in the Commonwealth. Tan said he is hoping that some businesses based in Guam and the Philippines would also come to the CNMI and open shop.
“Guam is less than an hour away. The Philippines, with direct flights about to start, has also a lot of potential investors. And we are grateful for Philippine Airlines to take the risk of opening up twice a week direct flights to Manila,” said Tan.
