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Senate disapproves DPS on MVA board
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Posted on May 15 2006
The Senate has adopted a committee report that recommends shelving a House bill that proposes to make the Department of Public Safety commissioner a non-voting member of the Marianas Visitors Authority board.
“We feel that the DPS commissioner is not needed at the MVA board. There’s a proper channel of communications. MVA can always call upon DPS without the commissioner being physically there,” said Senate President Joseph Mendiola in an interview.
He said the DPS commissioner has far too many responsibilities already for mandatory membership in the MVA board.
The Senate adopted the committee report during its session on Tinian last week.
Authored by Rep. Ray Tebuteb, House Bill 15-44 aims to ensure swift police assistance on matters relating to the safety and protection of tourists.
“The commissioner himself should be there to know the problems, not his deputies, not a designated person but himself, so the enforcement becomes effective,” said Tebuteb earlier.
He said the DPS chief’s authority is most needed to curb tourism-related offenses such as theft, burglary, and vandalism of monuments and historical sites. Tebuteb cited the recently reported vandalism at the Okinawan Tower on Tinian.
He said reports reaching him indicated that Japanese monuments at Banzai Cliff and Last Command Post are also being desecrated.
“We need somebody in command to effect change. If the commissioner directly hears tourism woes from the affected sector, there’s going to be a change,” said Tebuteb.
