MVA board loses Kaipat

Cinta M. Kaipat has resigned as a member of the Marianas Visitors Authority board of directors.

MVA chair Marian Aldan-Pierce confirmed yesterday that Kaipat sent her resignation letter shortly after the MVA board meeting last Tuesday.

Asked for comments, Kaipat said her decision to leave the board is personal and should not be misconstrued as anything but that.

“No bad vibes. It’s all good. I leave with lots of love and respect for all,” said Kaipat, who is a lawyer.

She said she loved her time on the MVA board and enjoyed working with the wonderful professionals on the board and staff.

“My experience was both rewarding and enriching,” she added.

Aldan-Pierce said she reached out to Kaipat to find out more about her reason for stepping down and that Kaipat replied that it was a personal matter that she did not wish to elaborate on.

The chair said Kaipat added that she has enjoyed working with the board and staff tremendously and was sorry she had to exit.

“Cinta was our expert on local culture on the board,” Aldan-Pierce said, citing that it was due to Kaipat’s recommendation that they added the mwar (head lei) on the Saipan sign in Marpi.

Aldan-Pierce said Kaipat’s vision was to ensure that the Chamolinian culture (Chamorro and Carolinian cultures) is properly showcased throughout the islands for all visitors to experience.

“We are very sad to see her go. But I asked her to be as active in MVA activities as possible,” Aldan-Pierce said.

She conceded that the resignation took them by surprise so the board hadn’t met yet to discuss a recommendation to Gov. Ralph DLG Torres for her replacement, but they will do so.

The board still has a quorum even with Kaipat’s departure.

Kaipat attended the board meeting last Tuesday, the day when MVA managing director Christopher Attao Concepcion also announced that he is leaving the agency.

At the meeting, it was Kaipat who led the MVA board members and some MVA staff in giving Concepcion a standing ovation.

Kaipat, who is also a former lawmaker, joined the MVA board last July after Torres appointed her to represent Saipan.

At that time, Kaipat had hoped to bring to the MVA board her experience as a previous cultural dancer for tourists as well as her experience in the Legislature as a former representative.

Kaipat is credited with creating the Beautify CNMI Program when she was still a member of the CNMI House of Representatives.