Tinian Mayor Edwin P. Aldan appealed to the administration of Gov. David M. Apatang to ensure that relief and recovery assistance are distributed equitably across the Commonwealth, saying residents of Tinian continue to face critical shortages in power and fuel following Super Typhoon Sinlaku.
Speaking with Marianas Press last May 12 at the Tinian and Rota Guesthouse on Navy Hill, Aldan said relief operations remain ongoing on the island, with donations pouring in from Guam-based groups, nonprofits, private donors, and federal partners even as all evacuation shelters have already been closed.
“It makes it easier if things that are being pushed on is equitable. That’s all I ask,” Aldan said. “If you distribute [on] Saipan, don’t forget about your sister’s island of Rota and Tinian.”
The mayor said Tinian’s biggest immediate problems remain the lack of electricity and the high cost of fuel as residents continue relying on generators while repairs to the island’s power infrastructure continue.
“Maybe two things, one is the power from [the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.] and the second one is the fuel,” Aldan said. “If we have power, it can greatly help the community in reducing the purchase of gas and diesel.”
According to Aldan, diesel on Tinian is now costing about $11 per gallon while gasoline is around $8.45 per gallon, making it among the most expensive in the Marianas.
He said line crews from Rota and Saipan have been assisting Tinian’s small CUC workforce in rebuilding damaged feeders and replacing utility poles. The mayor added that crews have already repaired the island’s main distribution grid and are now awaiting the arrival and installation of temporary generators from Japan.
“What I heard is 4 megawatts, so it should be enough because we only, I believe before pre-storm we were just using 2.4,” Aldan said.
CUC officials earlier told the mayor that installation and commissioning of the temporary generators could take another 2-4 weeks.
Despite the ongoing hardships, Aldan said the municipality has already closed its shelters after federal agencies and military personnel helped erect Federal Emergency Management Agency tents and temporary roofing for displaced residents.
“The Navy stepped up and delivered,” he said. “It started from five tents a day, to eight, to 10, to 25 a day.”
The mayor credited FEMA, the American Red Cross, the U.S. military, Samaritan’s Purse, and local nonprofits for assisting residents with generators, tarps, food, and animal care supplies.
He also thanked private donors from Guam and Saipan who helped stock the municipality’s recovery center at the Tinian gymnasium with canned goods, dry food, and other supplies.
As FEMA’s Individual Assistance program and other federal recovery programs begin operations on Tinian, Aldan urged residents to remain patient while continuing to help themselves whenever possible.
“For our people, the community, please be patient,” he said. “Things will get a little bit easier, but each one of us also has responsibility for ourselves first.”
Aldan also addressed criticism circulating on social media claiming that Tinian has been overlooked compared to Saipan in the government’s disaster response.
“We all went through the same storm for the first time in the history that such a storm hit the three islands,” he said. “We’re not asking for complete, 100% deliverables of stuff, but just put us in your heart and your mind that there’s still people down there that need also the assistance.”
The mayor said he remains committed to working with the governor and central government despite occasional frustrations over communication and resource distribution.
“I’m not saying that absolutely the governor’s not doing anything for me or the municipality, but things can get better if we communicate and talk every once in a while,” Aldan said.
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