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Sources say Ron Sablan being mulled as MVA chief
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Posted on Mar 29 2006
Former Hotel Association of Northern Mariana Islands president Ron Sablan is said to be being groomed by the Fitial administration to head the Marianas Visitors Authority.
Government sources said Sablan’s possible selection was discussed during a Cabinet meeting Monday.
When asked, press secretary Charles Reyes Jr. would neither confirm nor deny it, saying there are many issues discussed during the meeting.
He also conceded that it is not the governor who will hire the MVA head but the MVA board itself.
He described the governor’s working relationship with the board as “very good.”
The MVA is without a permanent managing director since January this year when its former chief, Vicky I. Benavente, left the post.
It is currently headed by its accounting chief, Tess Castro.
Meantime, a source from the tourism industry said that acting Commerce Secretary James Santos may also be considered for the MVA post.
“He turned in his application for the MVA position the last time,” said the source.
When reached, Santos declined to confirm if he is re-applying or being offered the job.
“I have no comments at this time,” he said.
Ron Sablan used to be a member of the MVA board. He resigned from the board in 1999 reportedly due to differences with tourism officials regarding policies on how to market the Northern Marianas as a vacation site.
Sablan had reportedly been very vocal about his criticisms on various issues relating to the tourism industry.
He had strongly criticized the constant changes in local laws and regulations that he said have dulled the CNMI’s attraction as an investment hub.
Sablan is HANMI’s longest serving chairman, having held the post since 1996. In September 2004, Sablan had stepped down as HANMI chair amid negative publicity resulting from his case involving his family-owned Pacific Gardenia Hotel.
Pacific Gardenia had then filed for bankruptcy protection in U.S. District Court. Right now, the hotel is under a receivership status.
