SINCE Mayor Ramon RB Camacho took up his seat as Saipan Mayor, his staff has transported approximately 128 junked vehicles to the recycling center.
Junk and abandoned vehicle parking and storage is prohibited by law but there are thousands of abandoned vehicles parked around the islands even on public lands.
It is Camacho’s vision to have a clean CNMI, so he continues to have various projects such as the Adopt-a-Place project and the regular cleaning conducted by the Mayor’s office. He also took the initiative to dispose of junk vehicles free of charge.
It is a collaboration with various agencies such as the CNMI Zoning Board.
To date, Camacho’s office is continuously working on the proper disposal of junk cars.
Buying and selling
Kevin, not his real name, has parked a green Tercel in Garapan. Engaged in buying vehicles at a very low cost and selling them for a higher price, Kevin said he bought a non-working car to fix it but his attempts to make the car work have failed.
“I spent about $1,500 for the parts of that vehicle. I just didn’t have the time to fix it. At this point, it is not working, and I am not sure if it will ever work at all. But if it does, it will make good money,” he said.
The car has been parked in front of the house, in a land not that is not Kevin’s, for more than two years. It is an eyesore.
Just recently, the CNMI Zoning Board put a yellow tag on the vehicle notifying a corresponding fine and that the junk will be towed away.
That Tercel is just one story among the other stories of why a vehicle is parked on public lands or private properties.
Other stories include vehicles being abandoned because of “high fees” to dispose of the vehicle or transport them to a recycling center. Fee ranges from $200 and above depending on the weight and condition of the vehicle.
Abandoned island, abandoned vehicles
After the island’s economic glory days were over, many guest workers were forced to leave the island to find greener pastures elsewhere since the losing their immigration status.
With the departure of these workers, most of their properties were also left behind.
“I used to buy and sell vehicles owned by my friends who left for China. But it is too much work to maintain and keep it. I stopped doing it.” Xiao Zu told Variety.
He is still on island working in a private company but most of his friends who used to be in the construction industry all left the island.
Some of the properties left by guest workers are vehicles that can no longer be sold. Thus, were either left in the place they formerly rented or just abandoned somewhere.
For people who like to set up their vehicles, junk cars are a source of free car parts which can be re-used or re-purposed to fix their own vehicles.
Most often than not, the car remains where it was. This can be an eye sore and a possible health threat.
Although the Mayor’s Office and other regulatory agencies such as the CNMI Zoning Board, try to clear up the junk vehicles around the island, it is the responsibility of community members to dispose of any unused cars.
If you can’t fix it, don’t buy it.
If you won’t use it, be responsible to save and dispose of it in a proper way.
