MSA: Make public’s voice be heard

Keith Stewart

Marianas Southern Airways is appealing to the community to let the administration know whether they are interested in the continuance of its air service or not.

Keith Stewart, MSA president, said in an interview last Friday that, with all that has happened regarding the recent termination of their $8 million contract with the CNMI to provide affordable interisland air service, he is asking that the community make its voice heard.

“If the community wants us, we just ask that they please let the administration know, let the Legislature know. If they don’t, then that’s a message we will hear as well and take steps accordingly,” he said.

To clarify that the contract between MSA and the former CNMI administration was executed legally, Stewart stated that MSA and its parent company, Marianas Pacific Express LLC, has nothing to hide. He has since posted a copy of the entire contract on MSA’s official Facebook page.

“We’ve got nothing to hide. The contract complied with CNMI rules and regulations. It was signed off by the former secretary of Finance stating that the funds have been committed, it even provided an account number showing the funds were there, and the attorney general also signed off on it, certifying that it has been reviewed and approved on a legal capacity. There were no backroom deals,” he said.

Back in November 2021, when the CNMI’s lone interisland service provider, Star Marianas, suspended its services, an emergency declaration was issued by former governor Ralph DLG Torres, stating there was an emergency need for airline service for Rota and Tinian.

“The governor reached out to me because they knew we were working on an international airline and he thought it was a long shot that we would even be interested in interisland service. I was told that he also went and approached several others and even tried to work something out with Star Marianas during the time. What ended up happening was that I talked to our airline consultant off of Australia if he could go and work on because I was busy at the time and he brought in Southern Airways by reaching out to Stan Little in Florida. Stan flew down a few weeks later and we ended up reaching an agreement and decided to work on a proposal together that we eventually submitted to the former secretary of Finance in Jan. 2022,” Stewart said.

“It wasn’t until March of 2022 that we signed a contract with the administration. I have no idea if there were others who submitted proposals, we only control ourselves. We did hear there was another proposal from another company earlier on that was looking at coming down to the CNMI to provide interisland air service,” Stewart added.

Stewart said the contract termination and the recent statements issued by CNMI stakeholders are damaging MSA’s and Southern Airways’ reputations and it is frustrating.

“The cancellation of our contract with the government has spread across the world and Southern Airways has been reached out to and contacted by a number of entities out there on the airline side, trying to figure out what is going on. I think both Southern and I are extremely frustrated that our reputation is being questioned. That’s something, even on Southern Airways’ side, that they’re as upset about as anything else. I’m trying to keep this under control, and I don’t know where they’re going to go and what steps they’re going to be taking. It’s extremely unfortunate. In spite of it, we’re willing to come back to the table and work something out. If not, there are other places that are in dire need of air service and want airlines coming into their community. I hate to see that happen,” he said. “However, on our side, we are still hopeful that we can sort something out with the administration.”