Tinian leader credits CIP office for island projects

Tinian Mayor Joey P. San Nicolas, along with wife Connie, far right, and chief of staff Allen Perez, far left, present a plaque of appreciation to the Capital Improvement Projects office on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018. (Contributed Photo)

If you take a quick drive around the island of Tinian, you would see a number of ongoing construction sites and facilities sporting new renovations. These projects are results of concerted government efforts to improve the island’s public facilities. However, none would have been possible without the Capital Improvement Projects Office under the Office of the Governor.

In the last four years the CIP office has provided support for over $7 million in capital improvements on Tinian. Support from the office comes in the form of project management and coordination, as well as prioritization of Tinian projects in the state’s capital improvement agenda.

One of CIP’s most notable accomplishments is the completion of the Tinian International Airport renovation project. The island celebrated the airport’s ribbon-cutting ceremony in January 2018 alongside CNMI and Guam officials, as well as guests from Hong Kong, who arrived at the ceremony on the first international flight to land on Tinian.

The CIP office has also been instrumental in the construction of a 500,000-gallon water tank at the Carolinas Heights and the Tinian Solid Waste Transfer Station, both of which will be completed in 2018.

“Projects such as the Tinian airport, the 500,000-gallon water tank, and the Tinian transfer station are crucial to our municipality’s long-term health and development,” said Tinian Mayor Joey Patrick San Nicolas. “On behalf of the people of Tinian, I’d like to extend my thanks to the CIP office for implementing these very important projects. The Tinian leadership is especially grateful to Vicky Villagomez, Elizabeth Balajadia, and Nerissa Benavente for their dedication and attention to the island of Tinian. We would not see these developments come to fruition without their continuous support.”

The Tinian leadership looks forward to utilizing Tinian’s upcoming CIP funding to establish a water distribution system at the West San Jose homestead.

Other CIP-led Tinian projects include the procurement of a tractor for the Department of Lands and Natural Resources on Tinian; a feasibility study on the Tinian breakwater; and renovations to the Tinian DPS building, the Tinian liaison office, the Tinian youth center, the Tinian Gaming Commission, and the Tinian Little League baseball field. (PR)