§ 435. Rota- West Harbor Seaport
TITLE 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS § 435. Rota: West Harbor Seaport. The Rota West Harbor Seaport is hereby renamed as “Thomas C. Mendiola Commercial Seaport.” Source: PL 15-112, § 2. Commission Comment: Public Law 15-112 took effect November 23, 2007, and contained the following findings and purpose and administering au- thority provisions in addition to severability and savings clauses: Section 1. Findings and Purpose. Whereas, the late Thomas Camacho Mendiola, a native son from the island of Rota, passed away on December 29, 1984; and whereas, the late Thomas Camacho Mendiola worked hard during his lifetime to improve the lives of the people of Rota; and whereas, during the Japanese occupation of the Mariana Islands, the late Thomas Camacho Mendiola was trained in Palau in building design and construction and later became the first Chamorro from the Marianas to earn a degree in civil engineering in Japan; and whereas, in 1939 the Japanese authorities appointed the late Thomas Camacho Mendiola as transportation director for seaport and land transportation for Rota; and whereas, after World War I1 the late Thomas Camacho Mendiola continued in public service on Rota as Chief Commissioner from 1947 to 1952, Community Court Judge from 1949 to 1952, representative of the Acting District Administrator from 1950 to 1952, and member of the Rota Municipal Council from 1952 to 1956; and whereas, the late Thomas Camacho Mendiola, with the help and support of the able residents of Rota, designed and built the West Rota Harbor, including a dry dock facility; and whereas, in 1948 the late Thomas Camacho Mendiola, to address the lack of reliable shipping service to Rota, built a 54-foot ocean vessel, the Miss Rota and, in 1955 after the Miss Rota was destroyed in a severe typhoon, built another slightly larger ship, the 64-foot San Jose; and whereas, the late Thomas Camacho Mendiola was also the first Chamorro of the Northern Mariana Islands who was recognized by the United States Coast Guard as a ship captain; and whereas, the legacy of the late Thomas Camacho Mendiola should be permanently recognized for his outstanding accomplishments and untiring efforts to improve the lives of his fellow residents as a private individual and a public servant of Rota; now, therefore, be it enacted … … Section 3. Administering Authority. The Commonwealth Ports Authority shall commission and provide for signage, consistent with section 2 of this act, to be affixed permanently in a prominent location at the Rota West Harbor so that it can be seen, without obstruction, from a distance of 100 away. The signage shall be in place as prescribed herein within 60 days after the effective date of this act.
Source: CNMI Law Revision Commission