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Practical Biz vs. Facelifting
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Posted on Feb 01 2001
The Issue: Controversy heats up on beautification fueling parking woes and business loss in the hotel district.
Our View: Would the band-aid spur revenue generation or loss given the parking woes in privately-owned biz venues?
Change is difficult especially when it disrupts business activities in the Western Garapan commercial center.
Entrepreneurs have raised practical concerns about the loss of business since the emplacement of the islands in the area.
The Strategic Economic Development Council views the construction of the facility as vital for long-term revenue generation.
Each side of the controversy presents valid points, but neither side sees eye to eye on the other’s view. It seems this debate would be around for quite some time before it fades out.
On top of this controversy are concerns of prostitution in the hotel district, including criminal activities that do nothing but give the CNMI tourism industry a black eye among family vacationers. Obviously, the problems are far more serious than meet the eye.
While we too subscribe to revitalizing the Western Garapan business center, we hope the SEDC is wary of the monumental task it faces, specifically, landownership in the area. Most of the land now being occupied are privately owned. It’ll be next to impossible to do anything that would command decency given the emotional nature of land ownership anywhere in the world.
The alternative is for the CNMI government to step-in and acquire the entire area through eminent domain. Unless we have the resolve to take this approach, we’d all be singing discordant notes to the same familiar melody in round about fashion. It can be done, provided however that we can define what we want of and for tourism in these isles. It’s all a matter of definition.
In doing so, the CNMI doesn’t have any other choice but to implement the zoning law to ensure an orderly development anywhere in these isles. Until this is done, we’d all be chancing finding pig pens and auto-shops near commercial centers that ruin the aesthetic value of these places. The journey to resolve this issue is a long one. Start today! Si Yuus Maase`!
