Saipan casino signature drive off to good start

Nathania Maui, 65, voted against legalizing casino gaming on Saipan twice before but now that the question could be in the Nov. 6 ballot again, she said this time around she will vote “yes” because the CNMI economy has gone from worse to worst.

“I want the Retirement Fund to be helped. I am a retiree and I may not be able to get my benefits if the Fund is gone. I also want the economy to be helped. I voted ‘no’ to casino two times; now I’m voting yes. Why not give it a try this time?” Maui told Saipan Tribune after signing a casino initiative petition yesterday.

Joseph Lisua, a jobless 26-year-old resident of San Jose, said he hopes the casino initiative will succeed so that those who are unemployed like him could have another industry to look forward to.

“I think the casino is going to help the island, help the government so it can help CUC [Commonwealth Utilities Corp.] and all employees,” he said, adding that he invited his friends to also sign the petition.

Lisua said he has been unemployed for almost a year, owing to the difficulty of finding a job amid the economic crisis. He believes that by allowing casinos to open on Saipan, there will be more economic activities and opportunities that will be created.

Maui and Lisua were among the 64 individuals who went to the Carolinian Utt starting at 4:30pm yesterday for the launching of a campaign to solicit at least 2,500 to 2,700 signatures within weeks so that the Saipan casino question could be included in the ballot.

Dr. Jack Angello, one of the organizers for the signature campaign, said he’s “very pleased” with the turnout. The one-hour campaign gathered 64 signatures, in addition to the signatures collected since at least Monday when the full text of the proposed initiative was finalized.

“There’s still a lot of work ahead of us. We will do our best. I thank those who came out and signed the petition,” he said.

Angello and Rep. Stanley Torres (Ind-Saipan), along with Esther Koshiro, assisted Saipan voters who showed up to sign the petition.

Also among those who signed the petition were retirees who want to prolong the Retirement Fund’s lifespan.

Gonzalo DLG. Pangelinan, turning 65 in April, said if the casino question is placed on the ballot, it would be his third time to vote “yes to casinos.”

Saipan voters had twice rejected Saipan casino legalization; the last one was in 2007.

But Pangelinan, just like others interviewed yesterday, said the result could be different this time.

“The economy is suffering. Retirees like myself and those who will retire in the future may not get our benefits if we no longer have the Fund. I want casinos so we can generate revenues to help the Fund, help the retirees and everyone in the community,” he added.

Juan M. Sablan, a former chairman of the Commonwealth Retirees Association, said he feels bad that active members of the Fund may not see any penny of what they have been contributing if the Fund goes bankrupt.

“That’s why I urge them to vote on this; it’s an effort to save the Fund. Without a casino industry, we won’t have any new industry,” he added.

Sablan also said had Rota and Tinian senators passed the House bill, retirees from their islands could also benefit.

Manasses Castro, 70, said times are tough and the CNMI needs a new source of revenue.

The Koblerville resident said if people are worried that casinos will bring prostitution and theft, for example, they are wrong.

“Even before there’s any casino here, there’s already prostitution and theft around. Give casinos a chance to help save the economy,” he said.

Herman Q. Guerrero, a former member of the Marianas Political Status Commission, was also among those who signed the petition.

Movers of the signature campaign said that by allowing casinos to operate on Saipan, 80-hour work every two weeks could be restored. Local revenues, license fees and gross gaming revenue tax will be used to help fund the Retirement Fund, the medical referral program, the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance Board and other programs and services on Saipan.

The 22-page local initiative requires a $5 million initial license fee to be paid within 90 days after the license approval and $200,000 in annual license fee every year thereafter.

Three casino licenses are available: two for an existing hotel with at least 250 guest rooms, golf club resort or resort, and one for a new investment of at least $100 million inclusive of a hotel resort or convention center. One other casino license is also available to a Northern Marianas descent corporation.