Cardiac arrest cause of Cinta Kaipat’s death

Former representative Cinta M. Kaipat unexpectedly passed away last Wednesday reportedly due to cardiac arrest, according to a family member.

In response to Saipan Tribune’s request for information, a family member disclosed yesterday afternoon that Kaipat, 61, died due to cardiac arrest at the Commonwealth Health Center Wednesday.

The family member said there will be a daily Mass starting last night, Thursday, at 6pm at the St. Jude Church in Koblerville, and Mt. Carmel Cathedral in Chalan Kanoa and Kristo Rai in Garapan, both at 6am starting today, Friday.

Funeral rites will be on March 2.

Kaipat’s sudden passing elicited a lot of memories among her former colleagues, friends, families, and acquaintances.

Senate President Edith E. DeLeon Guerrero (D-Saipan) said yesterday that she will miss Kaipat’s warm “Hi E” greeting and her beautiful smile. Deleon Guerrero said the first time she met Kaipat was in 2006 when she (DeLeon Guerrero) was appointed as a Work Investment Agency director.

Since then they have become good friends and, in fact, just a few months ago they spent time with some friends privately socializing and singing as her backup vocals, she added.

“I want to remember my friend Cinta from these last few months back where we were laughing, catching up, and just having so much fun in each other’s company. Fly away and sing with the angels, my friend,” DeLeon Guerrero said.

House of Representatives vice speaker Joel Camacho (Ind-Saipan) said yesterday that he worked with Kaipat when he was a senior legislative assistant for the Legislature Bureau. Camacho said he has always known her for her passion and kindred spirit with regards to CNMI lands and people.

He said Kaipat was a strong supporter and advocate for the protection and preservation of the Northern Islands.

“She will be missed and remembered by many and I am truly honored to have known her in my life,” Camacho said.

Former representative Angel A. Demapan and the late Cinta Kaipat in a file photo. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Rep. Julie A. Ogo, (Ind-Rota), said in her social media post yesterday that, on behalf of her staff, the people of Rota, and the people of the CNMI, she expresses sincere condolences to the family of Kaipat.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the surviving families and friends,” Ogo said.

Former representative Angel A. Demapan said yesterday that Kaipat was an inspiration to many people across the Marianas and the Pacific.

Demapan said he was blessed to have worked closely with her during his first government job at the former Department of Labor and Immigration; her Voice of Reason campaign for the House of Representatives, where she won a seat in the 15th Legislature representing Precinct 1; PaganWatch and the Alternative Zero Coalition; and through his five campaigns for public office.

He said they shared many memorable years discussing mutual topics of interest, particularly, the preservation of the CNMI’s culture, traditions, and environment.

“To everyone she has ever met, Cinta was immediately loved for her kindness, humility and her unique desire to empower the people of the Marianas to our fullest extent,” he said.

Demapan said she was an environmental champion and a strong advocate for indigenous rights.

He said that, among Kaipat’s long list of accomplishments, she broke the glass ceiling in 1997 and was an icon in the community when she became the first Refaluwasch woman to become a lawyer.

Demapan said he’s just one of many persons that Kaipat has influenced in one way or another. He said her passing is a deep loss to the Commonwealth and all her loved ones.

Demapan said he has in his home a beautiful lighatuttur that Kaipat made for him on his wedding day. A lighatuttur is an iconic symbol of the Refaluwasch people and culture and is made of beads woven into a necklace. Kaipat was known for weaving sought-after lighatuttur.

“Through her gift of talent and art, this masterpiece of hers will serve as a constant reminder of the beautiful and loving soul that she was and the life that she shared with us all. Rest peace, our dear champion of the people,” Demapan said.

Kaipat served as a member of the 15th CNMI Legislature representing Precinct 1, from 2006 to 2008. She served as deputy secretary of the CNMI Department of Labor in 2008. She founded Beautify CNMI, a coalition of volunteers from the government, private sector, and community members dedicated to make the CNMI a good place to live and visit. From 1999 to December 2005, she worked as an administrative hearing officer for the CNMI Department of Labor. In 2011 to 2012, she served as an assistant attorney general with the Office of the Attorney General’s Criminal Division.

In 2018, Kaipat served in the Marianas Visitors Authority board of directors.

Kaipat was co-founder of PaganWatch, which along with the Tinian Women Association, Guardians of Gani, and the Center for Biological Diversity, sued the U.S. Department of the Navy and the U.S. Department of Defense and their top officials for alleged violation of National Environmental Policy Act and the Administrative Procedure Act over their decision to relocate 5,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam and to conduct live-training on Tinian and Pagan.

The lawsuit involves a procedural challenge to the Defense and Navy’s decisions to relocate thousands of Marines from Okinawa to Guam and to construct training and base facilities in Guam and on Tinian.