Tinian airport upgrade to get $6.5-M more

The government will earmark additional $6.5 million for the proposed modernization of the West Tinian International Airport to expedite the much-delayed project, officials said yesterday.

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio agreed to draw down the funds from the proceeds of the forthcoming $60 million bonds that his administration has approved to float to finance various capital improvement projects in the CNMI.

He met early yesterday with members of the Tinian legislative delegation and other municipal officials as well as the Commonwealth Ports Authority, led by Executive Director Carlos H. Salas, to map out the plan.

Under the agreement, the administration will release $6.5 million from available cash resources in anticipation of the bond flotation to cover shortfall in the project’s total funding requirement.

The Tinian delegation, in turn, will appropriate the sum for the airport project whose public bidding was opened by CPA early this month despite the funding dilemma.

Sen. Joaquin G. Adriano, chair of the local delegation, said this will complement funds that have already been set aside by the Legislature under the CIP program as well as those that have been granted by the federal government.

“As soon as we appropriate this money, then the CPA can go ahead and bid it out,” he told reporters after the meeting.

Mr. Salas described the discussion as “productive” as the parties agreed to tap the anticipated proceeds from the bonds scheduled to be floated this July.

“The idea is to do an advance appropriation so that CPA can proceed with the project,” he said in a separate interview, noting that the bond timetable “fits” well within the bidding package.

The ports authority opened the bidding for the Tinian airport improvement which will include the construction of a new runway designed to accommodate larger aircraft.

So far, about $17 million have been made available for the project, almost half of which were sourced out of the Federal Aviation Administration grants. CPA officials estimate the total costs to reach around $20 million.

FAA has allocated about $9.387 million for the construction of the new runway and other airport improvements. The CNMI government, on the other hand, has pitched in $3.4 million in CIP funds for the airport transport facility.

Once the project is completed, Tinian leaders hope to entice international airlines to service direct flights to the island from key Asian cities which will help its thriving casino and other tourism businesses.