Decompression chamber proposed for each island

Rota and Tinian lawmakers have successfully lobbied to insert a provision in a bill appropriating for the purchase of three decompression chambers to cover the two islands rather than only Saipan, as originally proposed.

Prior to the majority passage of House Bill 14-217 on Tuesday, Rota Rep. Crispin Ogo insisted that his island, together with Tinian, should also be equipped with the life-saving chamber.

The bill originally intended to provide the Commonwealth Health Center, the CNMI’s lone hospital on Saipan, with the decompression equipment to save the lives of deep-sea divers suffering from nitrogen poisoning, more commonly known as the bends, or related sickness.

“What if accidents happen on Rota and Tinian? We can’t afford to risk their lives having to transport them to Saipan. We should have one for each island. I don’t want to be haunted when such an unfortunate incident takes place on Rota,” said Ogo.

Ogo was supported by Tinian Rep. Norman S. Palacios, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Bill proponent Clyde Norita, however, disagreed, saying that one decompression chamber would be enough to take care of patients in the CNMI. The chamber costs a lot and requires the expertise of medical personnel, he said.

Rep. Benjamin Seman, former chair of the House Committee on Health and Welfare, said it is not practical for the CNMI to have three chambers. He noted that during emergencies, Rota patients could be flown to Guam while Tinian patients could easily be brought to Saipan.

Estimates showed that a chamber would cost $240,000 and each treatment costs about $10,000.

Rep. Heinz Hofschneider agreed that a chamber is a costly investment but he said that it is “an investment that is worth thinking about,” especially in the CNMI where scuba diving is being promoted to tourists.

Meantime, lawmakers questioned the setting aside of a $1 fee that the bill imposes on scuba divers and jet ski users in the CNMI. The bill said that in order to purchase the decompression chambers, a surcharge fee must be passed on to certain seagoers.

Proponents had pushed for $2 surcharge fee but it was eventually lowered to $1 during the deliberation, despite suggestions from some lawmakers to consult authorities on the estimated costs.

“Let’s not just pull it [amount] from the air. Let’s ask the shop owners how much it costs. The committee needs to identify costs. I think they took a shortcut here,” he said.

Seman also said that the $1 fee is unjustified and that it would be unfair to impose it on every diver.

Under the bill, scuba dive shops and jet ski operators must charge their customers $1 each for availing themselves of their services. All fees collected will be remitted to the CNMI Treasury every quarter.

The bill passed the House on first and final reading. It is now up for review and passage at the Senate.