CPA’s search for new executive chief begins

The Commonwealth Ports Authority has officially begun the search for a new executive director following the voluntary resignation of former executive director Christopher Tenorio.

During a regular board meeting last Friday, CPA board members unanimously voted to open up the position of executive director to the public, kickstarting the search for the agency’s new chief.

Although there are still issues to be discussed, including minimum requirement for the position, CPA board chair Kimberlyn King-Hinds clarified that one thing is clear—the position will be open to the entire Micronesian region as well as the continental United States.

The position will officially be opened today, giving CPA ample transition time from the old executive director to the new as Tenorio has agreed to stay on board until October.

According to Saipan Tribune archives, Tenorio officially announced his resignation from CPA last March 22 with an effectivity date of May 1. However, the CPA board prevailed on him to remain in his position until October.

Tenorio has been the CPA executive director since 2016.

In an earlier appearance before the Senate’s Public Utilities, Transportation, and Communications Committee, Tenorio appealed to members of the Senate to help provide some sort of relief for CPA as the agency’s revenue has drastically decreased in the past few years as nearly all of CPA’s airline partners suspended their flights to Saipan at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fortunately, he said, CPA received over $2 million in federal funds in 2021 to help them weather out the storm, he said. Unfortunately, those funds have been stretched as far as possible, but CPA still faces a massive decline in revenue, with the CNMI still trying to regain its economic footing.

CPA fears that, if no subsidy can be provided for CPA to continue operations, it may have to soon increase its airport rates just to get by, possibly risking the loss of airline partners, Tenorio said.

He also participated in drafting CPA’s letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation to ask for supplemental funds to help CPA stay afloat without risking the loss of its airline partners.

To date, DOT has yet to provide any updates on CPA’s request.

Saipan airport