Tinian festival draws over a hundred participants

Serving as the exclusive sponsor to the 2017 Tinian Pika Festival under the Marianas Visitor’s Authority, IT&E provided numerous promotional items at their spin-wheel booth this past weekend.

Chief operating officer John Compton said that promoting and celebrating local culture and flavors is key to enhancing the Marianas.

“We are very proud to take part in the Pika Festival and express our sincere gratitude to the hospitality of the people of Tinian. IT&E plans to continue this momentum, not only as a telecommunications company, but also as part of the Marianas Island chain family. We look forward to many more upcoming events,” he said.

According to IT&E CNMI general manager Rose Soledad, the Pika Festival is a signature event that has been growing in popularity.

“The community always looks forward to these festivities and we commend the hard work and collaboration of MVA and the Tinian Mayor’s Office. Giving back to the community and increasing our capacity as a local company still remains strong and we hope these events continue to grow as we nurture and encourage culture, tourism, and innovation,” she said.

MVA managing director Chris Concepcion noted the success of the 2017 Pika Festival despite the closure of the Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino and limited resources.

“The Marianas Visitors Authority is grateful to IT&E for their generous support of the 13th annual Tinian Pika Festival held last weekend. Their contribution to the tourism industry is sincerely appreciated. Aside from the cash donation, raffle prizes and T-shirt giveaways, IT&E also had their staff on hand on Tinian to help the MVA team ensure the Pika Fest was smooth and successful. We extend our thanks to their entire team for their partnership,” Concepcion said.

Currently, IT&E is investing millions of dollars in both its buried cable and wireless networks to provide improved internet speeds and better overall service. These improvements include laying buried fiber optic cables around the island, connecting all cellular sites to this fiber optic network, and expanding the 4G/LTE capabilities of its wireless networks.

IT&E invested over $6 million in the CNMI in 2016 and has the plans to spend at least the same amount in 2017. Plans for the islands of Tinian and Rota are being set in motion to improve interisland coverage. (IT&E)