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BECQ heightens watchdog role vs dumping
A visit by the Saipan Tribune to the site yesterday found piles of construction materials that are dumped across the streets of the casino. (Kimberly A. Bautista)
Recent reports about piles of trash around the casino construction site in Garapan has resulted in Imperial Pacific International Ltd. acting fast to clean up the mess.
Rep. Ed Propst (Ind-Saipan) took to social media a few days ago to complain about the piles of trash near the Imperial Pacific Resort and Casino, saying it completely contradicts the image that the island is trying to sell tourists.
With the amount Imperial Pacific has invested in the CNMI economy, one would think that they could spend $200 to get the site cleaned, Propst added.
The Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality soon learned of the issue, but the garbage was no longer there when BECQ personnel arrived. BECQ administrator Frank Rabauliman said the entire area has been cleaned and no illegal dump sites were found.
According to Division of Environmental Quality director Ray Masga, the dumpsites Propst saw were possibly recent as an inspection was conducted prior to the transfer of the casino from the T Galleria and no piles of trash were found.
According to Rabauliman, he has a hunch the dumping areas were cleaned immediately for the company to avoid being cited again.
“The complaints were immediately addressed because BECQ earlier issued citations against IPI, including the management of their trash,” said Rabauliman.
The agency recently issued an administrative order against IPI about an illegal dumping area behind the construction grounds. The administrative order required the cleanup of the area, along with a fine of $1,000.
According to Rabauliman, this is only one of many citations issued against Imperial Pacific regarding the illegal dumping issue.
According to Rabauliman, upon seeing Propst’s post, BECQ was fast to respond to the issue regarding the illegal dumping but Imperial Pacific was faster to address the issue.
According to Rabauliman, the only thing that the bureau can do is to continue to hear these complaints, investigate, and issue citations because the revised anti-littering law does not state anything regarding repeated violations.
A visit by the Saipan Tribune to the site yesterday found piles of construction materials that are dumped across the streets of the casino.
