Govt clamps down on aggressive solicitations

Effective immediately, the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Public Safety said that they will aggressively enforce the law barring persons from loitering on a public thoroughfare for commercial gain.

This means that persons who are caught repeatedly shouting, beckoning, grabbing, aggressively handing out fliers, or engaging in similar conduct designed to lure persons into an establishment or to engage in a legal or illegal activity will be arrested and charged.

Such activity is barred from the Paseo de Marianas and Duty Free Shops shopping malls, as well as all sidewalks, squares, parking lots, and streets.

This is a misdemeanor offense that includes a fine of up to $1000 and up to 30 days imprisonment. If the offender is an alien who has a prior criminal record, a conviction under this law may be a deportable offense.

The Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands had earlier expressed concerns over the rising incidence of solicitation and harassment of tourists by peddlers, saying these activities are hurting the local visitor industry.

HANMI president Lynn Knight welcomed yesterday the AGO and DPS’ move, saying, “We are happy to see that the government is seriously working on this issue. We hope that they would be able to consistently enforce this.”

Knight said that HANMI itself is looking at several ways that it can assist the government in this effort, including the possible establishment of a Community Watch Bike Patrol.

“In our meeting today [yesterday], we received a proposal by a member that we are seriously looking into that would allow us to help in the effort. The proposal is for the reinstatement of the bike patrol on a privatized basis that we and other businesses could help pay for. Our hope is to get this going and have a memorandum of understanding signed with DPS for a bike patrol,” she said.

Press secretary Peter Callaghan earlier said that the situation in Garapan has been of great concern to the administration for years.

This is why Paseo De Marianas and the Garapan improvements have been made a priority, he said. “Sidewalks, drainage, sewer improvements, a wetland area, are all part of the plan. A zoning commission has been appointed. A beautiful museum opened last week at American Memorial Park. In addition to the improvements, the government has been working with the Marianas Visitors Authority to advertise the Marianas as a family-friendly destination.”

He said the government has also established a police presence and are working at prosecuting prostitution.