More US military visits this year likely

Saipan is becoming a popular rest and recreation stop for military officers and naval personnel, brightening up prospects of more military visits to the island this year, the Commonwealth Ports Authority said.

CPA executive director Carlos H. Salas disclosed yesterday that the CNMI is anticipating more military visits as talk progress on how Saipan could host several military stopovers this year.

Salas met with Rear Admiral Arthur J. Johnson Wednesday during the official’s first visit to Saipan. The CPA executive director and the Navy official discussed increasing mutual coordination between the CNMI and the military.

Also, the two discussed how to accommodate the increasing number of military ships hoping to hold their R&R on Saipan.

“He said Saipan is becoming a popular R&R area for the military. They always ask them to have a stop over here,” said Salas.

The executive director noted that at present the Saipan seaport could only accommodate four ships at a time and the Seaport Administration has been juggling port call schedules as commercial vessels also continue to arrive, particularly in the run-up to the 60th anniversary of the Battles of Saipan and Tinian.

“We need to coordinate the schedule and juggle the port calls. We have commercial cruise liners coming in also along with the military ships berthing for R&R stop over,” said Salas.

The two also discussed channel and basin issues and other improvement projects happening at the Saipan seaport.

Johnson said that, for the first seven months of fiscal year 2004, military visits has already matched the number posted in 2003 and more are expected to come here within the year.

The arrival of military ships is in response to the continued request by the CNMI government for increased military visits to Saipan to help spur economic activities.

Acting Gov. Diego T. Benavente said it has been the CNMI government and the Saipan Chamber of Commerce’s goal to increase military presence in terms of visitations and R&R trips.

“There has been no plan for a military base but it has been the government and the Chamber’s position to attract more ship visits. We have more coming in and we are trying to get them to come here,” said the acting governor in an interview.