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Acting CCC board chairman Demapan calls for monthly meeting
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Posted on Jan 24 2023
Rafael S. Demapan, who is currently the acting board chairman of the Commonwealth Casino Commission, scheduled yesterday their regularly monthly meeting this Thursday at 10:30am in the CCC’s conference room at the Springs Plaza Building in Gualo Rai.
Access to the meeting via videoconference will not be available, however, Demapan said, because of the termination of all CCC staff and internet services at their office.
Among the topics on the agenda is the order of U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona mandating video mediation with Circuit Mediator Steven Saltial that is scheduled for Feb. 14, 2023, at 8am.
The board is then expected to go into an executive session—essentially a closed-door meeting—where CCC board members will reportedly consult with their legal counsel on the status of ongoing litigations and arbitration involving the commission and the Saipan casino licensee, Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC. The commissioners are also expected to discuss personnel matters in the executive session.
The CCC office was temporarily closed starting last Thursday due to lack of funds.
The commission has five commissioners, including Demapan. The contracts of nine remaining employees expired last Dec. 31, 2022 but they continued to report for work until last Wednesday while awaiting the new administration’s assistance and guidance, a CCC employee said last week.
Last Thursday, Gov. Arnold I. Palacios asked all members of board and commissions who were politically appointed by the previous Torres administration to resign to pave the way for the appointment of new board and commission members.
Palacios said he and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang are dedicated “to making fresh and meaningful changes that will help to rebuild trust and confidence and guide the CNMI into a brighter future.”
