Customs division graduates 16 cadets

The graduating class of the 5th Cycle for the Customs Cadet Academy do a little dance for the crowd to close yesterday’s graduation ceremony held at the Division of Customs on the Port of Saipan. (Dennis B. Chan)

The CNMI Division of Customs graduated yesterday 16 cadets from an extensive eight-week training program, adding more bodies to the work of guarding the CNMI’s borders from illegal goods and substances.

The ceremony held behind the Customs office at the Saipan seaport yesterday morning was attended by a crowd of family and heads of government, including lawmakers, Attorney General Edward Manibusan, and department heads.

Acting governor Victor Hocog, alluding to recent allegations and arrests of law enforcement officials, urged the cadets to perform their duties with diligence and in good faith, abiding by the law.

“Let’s try to protect and restore the trust” in law enforcement, Hocog said. He added that the week prior was a “hectic” week, referring to the arrest and allegations against former Department of Public Safety commissioner James Deleon Guerrero for sexually abusing a minor, who Hocog has put on “suspension without pay” to allow the legal process to take its course.

Hocog also said the additional 16 cadets make it “more easier” to prevent unwanted goods in the CNMI, and added that if they are “lax” drugs would circle and “ruin the community.”

“At the end the governance will not be run by our people, it will be taken over by these people who are trying to poison the minds, the hearts, the physical being of our people,” Hocog said. “Stay the course.”

“They did an awesome job,” Customs director Jose Mafnas told reporters after the ceremony. “They survived the training. A lot of it was fitness.”

He added that the additional 16 personnel—13 on Saipan and three on Rota—would help their operation with “the guaranteed new airlines that are coming into the CNMI.”

“That’s an addition of about 800 passengers,” said Mafnas. The new airlines are Philippines Airlines, Jin Air, Hong Kong International, and Hong Kong Express, he said.

Veterans Affairs director Gregorio Sablan, a former Customs official, said the new customs officials will strengthen their numbers at the borders.

“We do have a war against ice, so the more people and the more training that is afforded to them will make our island more safe,” and allow them “to intercept illegal contraband and narcotics.”

“Every time a narcotic goes on the street, it destroys communities, it destroys lives. We need to put a stop to that. As long as these drug dealers have money, the will always be two steps ahead of us, we need to catch up and do a choke on their supply at all ports of entry,” he added.

Increase in traffic, revenues

From October 2015 to March 2016, Customs collected $6 million more compared to the same period last fiscal year, Mafnas said yesterday.

In 2015, within the same six-month period, they collected about $15.7 million and in fiscal year ’16, they collected $21.7 million. “And we are still half-way” through fiscal year, he added.

Mafnas, when asked, attributed this to more inspections. We caught a couple of undeclared goods but that’s minor. Its just there’s an increase of cargo entering the CNMI.”

“I set the goal that ‘let’s collect more.’ Let’s keep more than what we collected in the pervious year and its’ really working,” he said. “I’m really proud of the officers here. They work hard. Unloading and inspecting a container, especially small items, is not easy.”

Department of Finance Secretary Larissa Larson, in her remarks, also thanked the cadets’ family member for their support as the cadets give long hours and difficult days to their work.

“They are going to need you,” she said.

“We are going to see great things from Customs over the next few years. The $6 million is nothing. You are going to see more,” Larson said. Customs is a division under the finance department.