Tinian mayor urges direct talks with Navy execs

Tinian and Aguiguan Mayor Ramon M. Dela Cruz has asked Gov. Benigno R. Fitial to deal “directly” with Joint Region Marianas commander Rear Adm. Paul Bushong and Naval Facilities Engineering Command commander Capt. John Heckmann to discuss funding for maintenance of roadways and liability concerns for accidents that may take place on military leased lands.

Dela Cruz, a member of the Military Integrated Management Committee in the CNMI, first verbalized his request to Fitial in a letter dated Sept. 27, 2011, in adherence to committee protocol. He asked for a meeting with Bushong to negotiate a new land management agreement for the leased lands.

“With our dwindling funds, I find it impossible to properly maintain the roadways on Tinian. Moreover, I am concerned about liabilities for accidents that might occur on military leased lands,” Dela Cruz wrote to Fitial.

The mayor, however, did not receive a response from the governor, according to Don Farrell, Dela Cruz’s chief of staff.

Farrell said that Dela Cruz reiterated his request in February during a committee meeting wherein committee coordinator Tom Linden and Capital Improvements Project coordinating officer James Stump were tasked to work with the mayor, the Tinian Legislative Delegation, and Dela Cruz’s legal counsel, Lucy Blanco-Maratita to develop a new draft contract.

“Unfortunately, we have heard nothing from your MIMC coordinator,” the mayor said in his April 2 letter to Fitial.

Dela Cruz also wrote to Bushong on April 2, requesting a meeting with him or Heckmann to discuss the two concerns, which were part of a contract between the Navy and the Tinian Municipality that “has long since expired.”

“We would like to renegotiate it, as we can no longer afford to maintain these roads from the meager Tinian Municipal Budget,” added Dela Cruz.

Dela Cruz emphasized that Tinian has made great progress in military relations over the last two and a half years, having successfully negotiated a programmatic agreement with the Navy that would maintain the national historic landmark on Tinian’s North Field as approved by Fitial.

He and his staff are working with representatives of Naval Facilities Engineering Command on an agreement that seeks to provide about $30,000 to be used in maintaining specific sites within the national historic landmark boundaries.

Dela Cruz said he has also met with Marine Air Group 12 representatives who are involved in developing a training facility on Tinian. After securing permits from state historic preservation officer Melvin Faisao, an advance team of about 150 Marines are expected to arrive by May 3 to bring heavy equipment that will put up the training area and also clear and improve many existing roadways and historic sites on other military leased lands.

The mayor said they are also expecting the construction of the proposed Air Force Divert Base, which will bring more business to Tinian and more revenues for the general fund, and the relocation of the 3rd Marine Division from Okinawa to Japan.

“In other words, Tinian’s future relationship with the Department of Defense, and especially with our friends at Joint Region Command, looks very bright. We do not wish to disturb it. We only want to enhance it,” said Dela Cruz.