Shin: Coral Ocean Resort faces vicious cycle of illegal dumping, theft

The Coral Ocean Resort is facing challenges with thieves and people using the public beach located behind the resort as a dumping ground for trash and household items.

Brian Shin, who is chief executive officer of E-Land Group and president of Suwaso Corp., and Gloria Cavanagh, who is E-Land Group vice president for the Marianas, shared some of Coral Ocean Resort’s challenges during the Senate Committee on Resources, Economic Development and Programs & Gaming Committee meeting Friday on the Department of Public Lands’ proposal to grant a new lease to Suwaso so it could continue to operate its resort for another 40 years.

E-Land Group owns the majority share of Suwaso Corp. The company also owns Pacific Islands Club Saipan and Kensington Hotel.

Shin said they have been doing periodic schedules in cleaning the beach area as it’s unfortunate that some people are using it as a dumping ground.

Shin said after these people use the barbecue area, they never clean it up.

He said they’re trying to put bigger trash bins to address the problem.

Shin said they made a few requests to DPL and Department of Public Works and see if they can somehow restrict the area at least for a certain time period so that people don’t come and just dump the garbage there.

He said there are also concerns about “some kind of activities” at the beach site at wee hours.

Shin said they were told that this is a public beach and the government cannot restrict access to the area.

“So what we are trying to do is we try to clean up as much as we can,” said Shin, adding that Mondays are usually the worst to see garbage so they do the cleanup on Mondays and Tuesdays.

“This is a vicious cycle,” he pointed.

He said they also have some theft incidents in which golfers are being victimized.

Shin said thieves would hide at the beach area and then find the right moment to steal the wallets when the golfers are putting.

He said they had about six such incidents last year and one or two this year.

“It’s a constant battle for us. I’m not complaining. I’m not blaming any particular individual,” Shin said, adding that they are just hoping they can get help from the government to address the problems.

“But again, it’s a public beach. You know, it’s unfortunate we just can’t do that route [of restricting access],” he said.

Shin also disclosed that they actually found handmade guns too at the beach area one night. He did not say how many handguns they had recovered.

Shin said at two incidents, their green grass was cut and taken away.

“I don’t know what they’re [going to] use it for,” he said.

He said they’re also losing golf course yardage flags, prompting them to use plastic ones.

He said they learned that some people are stealing the yardage flags to use for fishing.

Shin said they had about five of six path putting mirrors from the corners of the pathway that’s been taken away within a week.

“So again, we’re not complaining but again, we’re having some challenges,” he said.

In response to Sen. Donald M. Manglona’s (Ind-Rota) question, Shin said they hired security guards to patrol the area.

Shin said, however, after they found those handmade guns, their instruction to the guards is to avoid making any confrontation.

“I just don’t want to have any unfortunate incident but we try to increase the presence of our individuals. But again, this is such a big area,” he said.

Shin said the whole 18-hole golf course is accessible from every corner of the beach.

“Anybody can walk into middle of the golf courses, or they can drive,” he said.

Cavanagh said there was an incident when a car was dumped in the area and set it on fire.

Cavanagh said it’s not only the beach behind Coral Ocean Resort they are having problems with illegal dumping, but also the beach near Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan, where some people are dumping household appliances.

She said it was a Thursday when they found bottles containing 35 gallons of used cooking oil.

“We do have security guards, but it is a large property,” she said.

Sen. Celina R. Babauta (D-Saipan) apologized to Coral Ocean Resort with those challenges they are encountering and asked if they have contacted the Department of Public Safety to do frequent patrols.

Shin said DPS stated they will try, but obviously, he said, the department is having their own challenges of shortage of officers to do the patrol.

“It’s just not going to be 100% preventative unless we restrict the area at night, which is not allowed,” he said.

Shin said they (Coral Ocean Resort) need to a better job in cleaning the area but at the same time, they also need help from the public to recognize that that’s not a dumping ground.

Babauta underscored the need for the parents to educate their children to respect other people’s property.

“So I share that frustration with you. And I think I can come up with something with the other members [of the committee] who can assist…” she said.

Sen. Corina L. Magofna (Ind-Saipan), who chairs the committee, said as Babauta stated it is unfortunate that Coral Ocean Resort face with those challenges.

Magofna said they will be more than happy to sit down and brainstorm some of the ways that they can possibly implement if that’s what it takes to try minimize a lot of the unnecessary challenges that Coral Ocean Resort is facing. “Because at the end of the day, you know, your success is our success,” Magofna said.

Shin said their company has been in the CNMI since 2010 and that it’s been a great journey.

Shin said although along the line, they faced a lot of challenges that include natural disasters and pandemic, they still believe in the future of the CNMI tourism industry.

“Our company has a lot to do with the future development of the islands,” he said.

DPL Secretary Teresita A. Santos said their appearance at the meeting is to respond, address, provide clarity, or enlighten the committee members on any of the questions that they may have or concerns with respect to the proposed lease.

Santos said in doing so, the committee may then be able to formulate the appropriate decision when acting on this proposed lease.

DPL Compliance Division director Greg Deleon Guerrero said Suwaso is in compliance with its lease with DPL.

Deleon Guerrero said they are working toward doing a new lease to incorporate the pending matters.

He said with the exception of the planned construction of additional 100 rooms, Suwaso is in full compliance with everything.