Public hearing sought for casino commish nominees

The Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation wants the nominees for the newly created Commonwealth Casino Commission to go through a public hearing before being confirmed.

Senate Floor Leader Pete Reyes (IR-Saipan) was the first to suggest the public hearing for nominees Maria Frica T. Pangelinan, David C. Sablan, and Alvaro A. Santos during yesterday’s delegation session on Capital Hill.

Pangelinan is a former lawmaker who is on the board of the Marianas Public Land Trust, while Santos is a former chief financial officer of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. Sablan, meanwhile, is a well-known businessman.

Reyes said the delegation would be wise to adopt the procedures in screening nominees that the Senate Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations regularly conducts.

He said a public hearing similar to what the Senate’s EAGI conducts would compel the Casino Commission nominees to attend their session and allow members of the community to speak for or against their nomination.

Earlier House Vice Speaker Francisco Dela Cruz (IR-Saipan) said that it is only right for the nominees to attend the SNILD session on their confirmation because it would not be “fair posing questions to ourselves” with regards to the nominees’ qualifications in becoming members of the commission.

He added that if the local delegation is not given a chance to quiz the nominees, the whole process would appear to be “another case of haste and confirm and approve before finding out what happens after.”

Dela Cruz told colleagues that they owe it to themselves to have the Casino Commission nominees to be present during their confirmation hearing.

The 21-member SNILD is tasked to either confirm or reject the governor’s appointees to the Casino Commission. Tinian and Rota legislative delegations are also tasked to do the same when it comes to their respective mayors’ nominees.

While the Lottery Commission decides whether to grant an exclusive Saipan casino license and to whom by June 19, the Casino Commission will be tasked to regulate the industry.

Under the Saipan casino law, Casino Commission members will be compensated $40,000 on the first year, and then $20 an hour for official meetings in succeeding years. The governor said the retiree appointees have the option to continue to receive their pension or get their commission compensation.