BSI close to inking land leases

Best Sunshine International, Ltd. is close to signing a lease deal with the government on a 1.5-hectare property in Garapan, which the company will use to build a 250-room hotel and casino.

In addition to the Garapan property, a 40-hectare property in Marpi is also being eyed by the Department of Public Land for lease to Best Sunshine.

DPL Secretary Pete Tenorio said last week that with the settlement of an ongoing legal tussle between Best Sunshine and H.S. Lee on the Garapan property, DPL and Best Sunshine can now concentrate on more land leases.

Tenorio said Best Sunshine will “get most of the 1.5-hectare property in Garapan,” adding that DPL “has concluded” the lease agreement in Garapan and that lawyers are now finalizing the lease agreement, which will be published in the local papers in two weeks’ time.

“After that, we would refer the lease to the zoning authorities for the hearing,” Tenorio said.

While the Garapan property is being processed, Tenorio said work on the leasing of a 40-hectare property in Marpi will follow.

He said Best Sunshine will be required to send a more detailed “master plan” on what it intends to do with the 40-hectare property, and will be required to coordinate again with DPL.

Tenorio said about 10 hectares of the property is fronting the beach. The official said Best Sunshine is actually asking for more, but for now, the 40-hectare property will suffice.

Aside from the 40-hectare property, a substantial land area in Naftan Point is also being eyed, Tenorio said.

Buy more private lands

The DPL’s announcement of the 40-hectare public land in Marpi for Best Sunshine drew strong reactions from lawmakers who are strongly urging Best Sunshine and the DPL to go for private lands, considering that some of the public lands eyed for lease are still occupied by residents and being used for other purposes.

The Marpi land, according to Rep. Roman Benavente (Ind-Saipan), has always been home to historical shrines.

“Best Sunshine and the DPL should strike the right balance,” Benavente said. “What will happen to the local residents once these lands are leased?” He said there are some 6,000 residents of Northern Marianas descent who are in Marpi.

According to the lawmaker, Best Sunshine should buy more private lands to help more members of the community. He also questions why DPL is eyeing 40 hectares of public land for Best Sunshine, which he said is “too big.”

Rep. Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan) echoed Benavente’s comments, saying that Best Sunshine should lease private lands and not public lands.

He said the DPL should stop “giving away public lands.”

DPL’s Tenorio said he has recommended that Best Sunshine also consider buying private lands that are near or parallel to the public lands that are being considered for lease.