The Commonwealth Ports Authority will be gathering all its stakeholders early next year to update the master plans of the Rota, Tinian, and Saipan harbors, according to executive director Maryann Lizama. <\/p>\n
An updated master plan could help the island of Rota in particular, where a dilapidated harbor leaves the safe arrival of goods up to the weather.<\/p>\n
The Rota channel is narrow, with a threshold no greater than 200 feet long for vessels, according to Lizama.<\/p>\n
Additionally, on the edge of the narrow channel is jagged rock, she said. It is the harbor pilot\u2019s call whether it is safe or not to bring a vessel in.<\/p>\n
According to Lizama, CPA will meet stakeholders next year to asses \u201cwhat facilities are already there\u201d and \u201cwhat facilities are planned to be there\u201d and reflect that back to the CPA board for proposed changes and funding.<\/p>\n
Rota\u2019s mayor-elect Efraim Atalig said in an interview yesterday that he looks forward to sitting down with stakeholders to discuss the issue next year. He believes a vessel\u2019s size poses a problem with the harbor\u2019s narrow channel.<\/p>\n
Right now, a barge of goods are brought in with a tugboat, which he called \u201crisky\u201d in rough waters. But he pointed to the arrival of the MV Luta, a 150-foot boat, next year as a solution to this problem.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are hopeful that this will solve the immediate problem,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In last month\u2019s board meeting, CPA board member Barrie Toves pushed for Rota\u2019s inclusion in updating the harbor master plans, following discussion on an update on Tinian\u2019s master plan.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of times the shipment of goods and commodities are not coming in. \u2026We\u2019re anticipating we\u2019re not going to have good waters until the beginning of March up \u2019til August, and between September up to February,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe monsoon season is hampering the livelihood of Rota. So we want Rota to be included in the review and updating,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
According to Lizama, if the Rota\u2019s channel is widened and its breakwater built, then \u201cwe\u2019d have no problems.\u201d But everything is dependent on funding, she said. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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