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MVA, BPL settle dispute on tourist sites
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Posted on Dec 28 2000
The Marianas Visitors Authority and the Board of Public Lands will sign a Memorandum of Agreement turning over the jurisdiction of tourist sites back to MVA.
In a joint meeting recently held, the BPL agreed to remand to MVA the job of maintaining the sites, a responsibility which was taken away from the tourism office by the court.
MVA’s development plans on the tourist sites have been put on hold since the issue on which agency should continue taking the responsibility of maintaining these areas popped up.
The MVA board was also looking at the possibility of hiring an insurance company to cover the tourist sites as some form of protection in the event the tourism agency is sued for civil damages in case of an accident.
MVA has temporarily stopped carrying out improvements in these sites until the issue has been resolved. A proposed legislation has been filed in the House of Representatives which would revert the jurisdiction of these sites to MVA.
The tourist site development committee has carried out a survey of each of the 57 tourist sites to determine which of these should be given priority for improvement due to limited funds.
MVA is seeking an $8 million financing for its Capital Improvement Projects to refurbish tourist sites on the island municipalities of Saipan, Tinian and Rota . However, due to budgetary constraints the planned improvements may have to be set aside indefinitely. (LFR)
