With the drastic slump in tourist arrivals due to the coronavirus pandemic, Commonwealth Ports Authority board chair Kimberlyn King-Hinds compares what\u2019s happening to the CNMI economy right now to a drought. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s like a drought. I hope and pray for rain. And that\u2019s kind of where we are at,\u201d said King-Hinds in an interview last Thursday. Worse, people don\u2019t know how long this economic crisis brought by coronavirus is going to last, she added. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we can do right now is to plan and to prepare, and to look at other areas who have been impacted by the spread of the virus,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The virus may not be unique to the CNMI, but what is unique to the Commonwealth is the fact that the islands\u2019 economy is primarily driven by the tourism industry, she said, and it\u2019s difficult to plan when people don\u2019t know what type of resources they\u2019re going to have, whether it be medical or finances, because everybody\u2019s impacted at this point.<\/p>\n
She advised the community not to panic and just follow the health advisories and prepare their families. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe new buzzword these days is \u2018what is social isolation?\u2019 Don\u2019t take anything for granted,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
CPA now estimates its total revenue loss at $6.4 million, from the original projected loss of $3.9 million.<\/p>\n
Last Thursday, the CPA board of directors unanimously approved implementing a 64-hour work schedule for all employees effective March 29. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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