Mayor scores CPA for delay in Rota airport project

Rota Mayor Benjamin T. Manglona on Friday expressed disappointment over what he believes was another unnecessary delay in the construction of the island’s airport runway project, which is scheduled to begin in January 2001.

“[W]e do not understand CPA’s [Commonwealth Ports Authority] rationale in postponing the scheduled construction date for the project. We have advanced the funding to CPA because of the urgency of the project,” said Mr. Manglona.

In his Sept. 13 letter to CPA Board Chair Roman S. Palacios and Executive Director Carlos H. Salas, the mayor said Rota cannot wait for yet another three months to begin construction of the runway project.

“We do not understand why we have to wait until January of next year to begin the project. We want it to be constructed the soonest possible time. We do not want to waste any more time on this,” he told the CPA officials.

He even went as far as urging the CPA to allow the construction of the Rota Runway Sealance Project initially using local funds earmarked for it if, he stressed, the cause for the delay is the availability of money that will come from the Federal Aviation Administration.

“We must not permit FAA to hold us hostage on this very urgent and important project for the good people of Rota. please let the contractor begin on the project now, January is too far away. We must start the project immediately,” Mr. Manglona lamented.

He underscored the urgency of the runway sealance project to the safety of both inbound and outbound passengers while adding the need to encourage jet service into Rota, as well as an improved, reliable air service.

“We are very desperate for an improved air service to boost our economic development. Please give us your support. Let us begin the project without any further delay,” the mayor asked Mr. Palacios and Mr. Salas.

However, Mr. Salas said CPA will have to wait until the FAA completed the review of the documents submitted for the Rota runway sealance project, and its Notice to Proceed before actual construction can take place.

He added the January target for the commencement of actual construction is the latest, adding that there is a possibility that it may receive FAA’s official green light to proceed with the construction process earlier than the initial schedule.

“At any rate, we have to go by the procedures and we need FAA’s concurrence because they are responsible for all our airports in the Northern Marianas, and a big portion of our airport projects are being funded by the agency,” he explained.

Construction of the Rota International Airport runway is expected to kick off in January 2001, following CPA’s determination of the apparent low responsible bidder where Nippon Hodo Construction Limited emerged lowest offering to undertake the project at $2.79 million.

The second lowest bid was offered by Western Equipment Incorporated, which proposed to carry out the project at a cost of $2.9 million.

Mr. Salas is optimistic the process of completing the necessary documents and all review proceedings will be completed in a month, although CPA has at least 90 days to look at the bid proposals before awarding the contract.

The Rota International Airport runway rehabilitation is financed through the Capital Improvement Project funds with up to $450,000 in appropriation from the Federal Aviation Administration’s airport improvement plan.

While the use of the money has already been approved, CPA is awaiting authorization from the Department of the Interior and the official grant notification from the FAA.

If projections to begin construction push through in January 2001, Rota will have a refurbished and improved runway by July next year, according to Mr. Salas.