‘Moving Sea Touch project north not feasible’

Baldyga Group special projects director Troy Williams said that moving his company’s planned $1.125-million shark and stingray marine park project a few yards north from its proposed location at the back of Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan is not operationally feasible.

Baldyga Group special projects director Troy Williams, left, listens to Rep. Ramon Tebuteb’s (Ind-Saipan) concerns about his company’s $1.125-million shark and stingray marine park project during last night’s public hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on Resources, Economic Development and Programs. (Mark Rabago)

Speaking at a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Resources, Economic Development and Programs last night, Williams said the waters off Hyatt Regency Saipan are too shallow to allow the building of temporary holding pens for the sharks and stingrays.

Relocating Sea Touch Saipan LLC’s project a few meters out to sea, meanwhile, will block the deep channel used for vessel traffic.

“It will cripple beach concessions if I moved into that channel,” said Williams during the public hearing on the proposed submerged lands lease agreement between the Department of Lands and Natural Resources and Sea Touch.

The House of Representatives already approved the land lease last Oct. 4, when it passed House Bill 18-198, House Substitute 1, authored by Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan).

The submerged land lease deal passed on a 16-3 vote with one of the dissenting votes coming from Rep. Ramon Tebuteb (Ind-Saipan), who reiterated his position last night at the Senate chamber.

“I’m not necessarily opposed to the project but only the location,” he said, adding that the waters off Fiesta Resort are traditional fishing grounds.

Tebuteb said Williams and Sea Touch should instead consider the area north of the hotel.

“We need to respect traditional fishing practices and please consider the saying, ‘Give a person fish he won’t get hungry for a day, but teach him to fish and he won’t be hungry in his lifetime.’”

Former lieutenant governor Diego Benavente also testified but identified himself as a simple fisherman who has “fished in areas including the area in question.”

“Issue of the site was discussed and fishing availability was discussed [during the last House hearing]. Troy Williams is also one of our best fishermen and used to represent the CNMI in fishing competitions. Based on studies that were done by biologists, if members still have concerns with the area, Williams answered all those questions.”

He added that experts from the Division of Environmental Quality, Coastal Resources Management, and Division of Fish and Wildlife already attested that the proposed site is the best area for this kind of activity.

Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Perry Tenorio also gave his testimony and said Sea Touch’s project will add another amenity for tourists and enhance the CNMI as a destination.

He said travel agencies like HIS Tours are usually averse to taking risks but for a company to already advertise Sea Touch’s yet-to-be approved project on their brochures speaks volumes of how confident they are in selling this product not only to the Japan market but to Chinese tourists as well.

Jose P. Limes, executive assistant for Office Carolinian Affairs, said he supports the project, but hopes the Tipiyeew Village will get some support and ancillary business from Sea Touch.

Senate floor leader Pete Reyes said he’s been fisherman all his life but doesn’t remember ever fishing in that area. He agreed with Williams that moving the project further north is a deal-breaker because the waters off Hyatt are “shallow with knee- or hip-deep water.”

Williams said he too used to be a subsistence fisherman and he knows very well that the waters off Fiesta Resort are devoid of fish.

“I also sold what I caught from spearfishing for 2 1/2 half years after losing my leg and there is no fish there.”

Asked whether the project is safe, Williams said Sea Touch is actually a franchise and also operates in Mexico and Jamaica that handles more than a million tourists per year with no incident reported so far.

The Baldyga Group executive also said on top of the $12,000 a year it will pay the DLNR for the submerged land lease, Sea Touch will also employ from 10 to 12 local staff.

“We want to train local kids who probably want to have a career in marine biology and work for Fish and Wildlife. We will have them working with animals and that kind of opportunity is not offered in this part of the region.”

He also assured the community that Sea Touch would be a responsible business entity that will be sensitive to the needs of the community, especially the local fishermen.

“People who love the ocean always help each other out. The facility is available for research and to nurture injured marine life.”

Chair Francisco M. Borja (Ind-Tinian) said his committee will seriously look into the concerns and review all the testimonies before presenting a report to the whole Senate for either approval or disapproval of Sea Touch’s submerged land lease agreement with DLNR.