Rep. Ray Tebuteb expressed outrage yesterday over the reported vandalism of historical sites in the CNMI, including the Okinawan Tower on Tinian.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m appalled. I am outraged by these acts. The vandalism of the Okinawan Tower is unacceptable. It should stop,\u201d said Tebuteb.<\/p>\n
The congressman also disclosed that other historical sites are being vandalized by a certain group of people.<\/p>\n
He said reports reaching him indicate that Japanese monuments at Banzai Cliff and Last Command Post are being desecrated.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are looking into this,\u201d he promised.<\/p>\n
Tebuteb said these things only justify the need to make the Department of Public Safety commissioner a member of the Marianas Visitors Authority board.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have problems with enforcement. Everyone is saying that tourism is very important, very critical but why this seeming neglect of tourist sites and tourist safety?\u201d asked Tebuteb.<\/p>\n
He said his bill, House Bill 15-44, aims to make the DPS commissioner a non-voting member of the MVA board.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s put the commissioner there, not any designated person, but the commissioner himself should be there and know the problems firsthand,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The MVA board recently asked for DPS assistance to curb tourism-related offenses.<\/p>\n
The MVA said it has been getting unpleasant feedback regarding tourists\u2019 stay in the CNMI\u2014from the \u201coverly aggressive solicitation\u201d by female entertainers in Garapan, the throwing of rocks at passing cars in the Tanapag and San Roque areas, to theft of tourists\u2019 items, and vandalism of tourist sites.<\/p>\n
Last month, it was reported that a Japanese couple was hit with a metal object and robbed by an Oriental-looking man while at the Blow Hole on Tinian.<\/p>\n
Likewise, the Okinawan monument on Tinian, which was built by the Micronesia Repatriation Association in honor of the war dead from Okinawa, was reportedly vandalized.<\/p>\n
Graffiti was all over the tower, and its descriptive sign and flower stand were reportedly damaged.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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