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MVA to look into plight of transit passengers
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Posted on Aug 31 2000
In view of recent reports that transiting passengers to Guam now have to go through rigid U.S. immigration check, the Marianas Visitors Authority has expressed concern on its adverse effect on the island’s tourism industry.
MVA Board Chair Dave M. Sablan said he was informed about the alleged new policy a few days ago by an executive who was interrogated by a U.S. immigration officer.
“I am a little disturbed because MVA was not even advised on this by the U.S. Immigration and I want to find out first what prompted them to do that,” he said.
If it turns out that the U.S. immigration has indeed started implementing a new policy without advising the CNMI government, Mr. Sablan said he will ask Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio to send a letter to the U.S. immigration officials to protest such action and ask them to immediately stop it.
The steady flow of tourists into the CNMI has been partly attributed to its own immigration policy which does not require the issuance of visa. However, the Department of Labor and Immigration has imposed a restriction on the entry of nationals from mainland China and Russia.
Tourism officials have also expressed concern that such practice may force visitors to stay in Guam and avoid the CNMI. With the termination of direct flights by Continental Micronesia to Saipan and other Asian countries, visitor arrivals to the Northern Marianas has been drastically reduced.
“We have to get into the bottom of this so that we can make the necessary action. If we have not been advised properly, we will ask them to stop doing that,” Mr. Sablan said.
