by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer
A Tinian inter-island airline has been accused of discrimination by the US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) after it sought to have a โweight specificโ officer assigned, in line with the aircraftโs weight limitations.
Star Marianas, which has been offering complimentary transport for USCBP personnel from Saipan to Rota to meet pre-screening needs for flights to Guam, reached out to USCBP port director Ferdinand Mallari to request a โlightweightโ officer, if possible.
This led Mallari to label the airlineโs actions as discriminatory.
โI have repeatedly informed you about this request for a โweight specificโ officer,โ he stated.
โThis is inherently discriminatory, and I do not condone or accept such requests. Please refrain from making similar requests in the future.
โYou will receive whoever is assigned, as all our officers are equally qualified and trained for their roles.โ
In response, Star Marianas board chair Robert Christian emphasized that the request was not meant to discriminate but was related to essential weight limitations for their aircraft.
โOur request was strictly due to our aircraftโs limited capacity and the critical weight restrictions necessary for safe operation,โ he noted.
โTo suggest that we are discriminating against USCBP officers is unfounded and undermines the cooperative spirit of this program.โ
Christian expressed disappointment in Mallariโs comments and mentioned that Star Marianas would be reevaluating its voluntary participation in the arrangement with CBP.
โWe were not only surprised by your message but also disappointed by its unprofessional tone and lack of constructive communication.
โStar Marianas will continue to emphasize the need for officers with lower body weights while we reassess our voluntary involvement in this program.
โLet me be clear: our participation in the program allowing USCBP pre-clearance on our flights is completely voluntary.
โWe are not obligated to continue this arrangement, and, to my knowledge, USCBP can also choose to end its participation.
โYour description of our request regarding the assigned officerโs weight as โdiscriminatoryโ is both incorrect and offensive.โ
