The Marpi homestead problem…er…project

On Monday, March 30, 2009, Mr. Jesse Torres of Kagman published an exceptional letter to the editor concerning why Marpi was selected to be the designated area for the upcoming homesteading project near Suicide Cliff. I would agree entirely with his feelings and concerns. I imagine it is now far too late, but of all the overgrown, available land to the east and south, I have to agree, why Marpi? Please drive up to Suicide Cliff and you will see what I am talking about. There are million dollar views looking southwest toward the beautiful aqua lagoon, reef, and Managaha Island. But that’s not the intent of my letter, so I need to get to the point.

Last Friday, March 27, 2009, I drove to the site where the workers were clearing the land of vegetation, trees, and any war ordnance. I pulled off the road near some workers and immediately a Caucasian man came over to my car. “Where is the silt fence?” I asked him. “What happens if we get 2 to 3 inches of rain?” He then replied to me, “Who are you?” I said that I lived in Marpi approximately 300 yards directly to the south of the site. He assured me that all necessary things had been done to comply with any codes and requirements involved in a land clearing of this magnitude. He said that all berms were in place to prevent runoff of newly exposed soil. I don’t want to give them any free advertising at all, but the company’s name on the truck was AMPRO.

On Tuesday, March 31, 2009, I returned since I had a bad feeling about last Fridays’ inspection and I wanted to check on this cocky guy’s poor response to my previous questions last week. Guess what, now there were 24” to 36” berms in place where there previously were not at all. They must have appeared over the weekend mysteriously! I am not a professional developer and do not pretend to be one, but I didn’t appreciate the man’s attitude toward me questioning him about the quality of the work they were doing with no visible barriers for runoff prevention. It’s called common sense! Someone from the proper CNMI agency needs to review this further (i.e., DLNR, DEQ, MPLA.)

I am relieved now that these berms to alleviate runoff were added and that we did not get any measurable rainfall before they were added. I did not appreciate the guy’s dishonesty and total lack of concern.