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OPA: Closure of marina hinders recommendations to DLNR
The Office of the Public Auditor noted in a report to the Legislature that the closure of the Outer Cove Marina hinders audit recommendations of the office to the Department of Lands and Natural Resources.
In a July 2, 2018 letter addressed to Senate President Arnold I. Palacios (R-Saipan), House Speaker Rafael S. Demapan (R-Saipan), House minority leader Rep. Edmund S. Villagomez (Ind-Saipan), Department of Finance Secretary Larissa C. Larson, and special assistant to the Office of Management and Budget Virginia C. Villagomez, OPA noted that DLNR has yet to satisfy recommendations regarding the enforcement of cove regulations.
DLNR was found in a previous audit report from OPA to not have properly assessed and collected all required fees and fines, and recommends that DLNR apply the appropriate berthing slip fees when billing tenants; assess and collect security deposits from all its tenants; assess and collect the proper delinquency fees; and revisit the regulation requirement pertaining to passenger departure fees and adopt a final decision on the matter.
“OPA recognizes that the closure of [the marina] has rendered this recommendation inapplicable at this time and will remain unresolved until circumstances at [the marina] enables OPA to make a detailed evaluation,” OPA wrote in their report that was attached to their July 2, 2018 letter.
The same comment was made in OPA’s recommendation to have DLNR seeks assistance from the Office of the Attorney General for legal advice on the impoundment or removal of vessels if a lease is not approved and the appropriate payments have not been made.
The OPA found in a previous audit that DLNR was lacking in “enforcement activity” on the cove, making it easy for illegally berthed vessels to park in the cove.
With the cove still closed to this day, OPA deemed both recommendations as unresolved until the reopening of the cove allowed OPA to conduct an evaluation on the changes DLNR implements.
The cove has been closed since late 2015.
