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Copper wires on Marpi poles stolen, again
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Posted on May 24 2012
By Ferdie de la Torre
Reporter
Reporter
About 2,000 linear feet of copper wire was found stolen yesterday afternoon from the controversial power poles in Marpi.
An employee of Maeda Pacific Corp., the contractor for the Marpi power poles project, called 911 after learning about the theft.
The employee told Saipan Tribune that the stolen secondary line was cut between the Buddhist Temple and Last Command Post.
The employee theorized that the suspect or suspects probably cut the line in at least two nights.
Only the primary line remains on the power poles as it is installed higher than the secondary line.
In July 2011, about 1,050 linear feet of secondary line was also stolen from eight power poles in Marpi.
Maeda Pacific could not touch the power lines because the Marpi pole project is on hold due to a court injunction.
Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo on July 5, 2011, ordered the injunction that temporarily stopped the installation of the remaining power poles.
Govendo ordered that the injunction will remain after the May 2012 trial. An appeal, however, is pending in the CNMI Supreme Court.
The power poles are part of a $2.9 million project to build a Marpi public cemetery. Only two more power poles need to be installed to complete the project.
The injunction was issued after the Friends of Marpi opposed the project and sued the CNMI government.
