Outer Cove Marina . . . Here We Go Again

What we have here is a large, important sector of our number one economy that was forced out of its home based on a fallacy concerning a perfectly safe, viable, affordable marina and in turn ‘force fed’ a marina that was excepted not only on the basis of plagiarized engineering reports, but on the basis of affordability due to its representation as a $1.2 million marina and a 76-slip promise and our forced continual use of this unsafe and most expensive marina in Pacific location, with no breakwater and concrete docks where numbers of boats are damaged regularly, and our staff and your tourists are injured and subjected to injury daily. And that is just in a nutshell. This has all been endured while spending some $70,000 plus in legal fees! (to no avail)

Who is this guy writing this you may ask? My business operates 365 days per year and is in its seventh year, and I only hope to continue. I have the survival of my company to think of, the livelihood of my staff to consider, the investment in time and money, and I consider myself partly responsible for the economy of Saipan, the island I call my home. When I was kicked out of Smiling Cove I was one of the few who refused to use Outer Cove Marina. My rates would have increased 2000% (talks in the hearing with an $8.77 head tax would bring that figure closer to a 3000% increase over Smiling Cove). I have been ‘homeless’ for over one year and three months. (Your home is to you as a marina is to a boat, especially commercial boats upon which the livelihood of an entire staff rests). I am just an example. It is the entire boating community who needs your rationale.

I am no prophet nor am I well enough versed in such a large scale solution to such a huge mess. I have, however, always said to my staff, or to youngsters learning the ways of the world “Don’t do a bunch of whining and complaining if you can’t at least attempt a solution.” So I’ll be the last to stop here.
Usually, what happens in the case of an ill conceived business idea, or an inefficient study of a plan is it is not pawned off on the public. It is another entity that usually steps in to take over the burden (sometimes the government) and often if no one steps in, bankruptcy is filed. There is nothing we, the boating community, can do about this, however in the interim, sharing the punishment for the poor marina decisions should be eliminated.

Smiling Cove Marina should be opened up immediately to commercial operators, as our eviction had no validity. Records should be published showing who had which home at the time of eviction and we should be given 30 days to reclaim our old homes. If a tenant has since occupied a particular slip in question, if his payments are up-to-date, he should be given the option to remain or chose what I will explain below. Smiling Cove should reassess their rates comparable to Guam or Hawaii and charge accordingly.

“You get what you pay for” and “nothing comes for free” are common comments MRC has replied to our complaints. I like the aphorisms, however, in context, lets really analyze their relevance to OCM. The OCM is exposed, with fixed docks and is unfinished, however should remain an option to whomever chooses to risk its use and to pay its reduced rates (as compared to Smiling Cove) until the promise of a breakwater and floating docks is fulfilled. The OCM can still generate revenue, however it should be proportional to the facility provided (not based on how much someone inappropriately spent). Of course OCM s new management would need to assess this as the marina is being completed.

A suggestion for revenue sourcing may be to look into DPL’s $5 Managaha Tax fund. Recent calculations tag that amount, since inception at anywhere from $5.5 million to $7.5 million. Where better a place to apply some of these funds than to our marinas where the majority of our Managaha visitors (who pay this tax) depart from!
These millions of dollars should not be used on Managaha Island, that is what Tasi Tours multi-million dollar lease is for. The number of businesses saved and allowed to generate those tough to come by tax dollars for our economy will far outweigh any deficiencies incurred by making the change (this may all occur at the cost of possibly one business closing shop due to self-inflicted problems).

The OPA report (preliminary) is out . . . it was handed to us at the end of the hearing Friday night…odd? Apparently it was rushed over to us to “appease the natives.” I will leave you with some quotes of what I have just began to read from your public auditor. Again, I despise those who say ” I told you so.” so I won’t.

You, the people of Saipan can help. We again request that a legislative oversight hearing to uncover the unfairness of our plight. By simply giving us your time, you have acknowledged us as important to the economy and shown concern for our plight. We lay our trust in the hands of our leaders to rationalize and solve the issue.

Bill Owens
BSEA Inc.