3 named to casino commission

Gov. Eloy S. Inos appointed three individuals from Saipan to the Commonwealth Casino Regulatory Commission, although press secretary Angel Demapan said yesterday he’s not been informed if there’s already an investor that submitted an application for an exclusive license to operate a casino on Saipan as of yesterday. Today is the deadline to submit an application along with a $1 million nonrefundable application fee.

Senate Vice President Victor Hocog (Ind-Rota), meanwhile, posted on Facebook early Sunday morning that based on information reaching him, an investor had already paid the $1 million nonrefundable application fee on Thursday, but the Inos administration has so far not commented on this statement.

“I have not been informed that any application has been submitted,” the press secretary told Saipan Tribune yesterday.

The governor appointed to the Casino Commission former senator Maria Frica T. Pangelinan, businessman David C. Sablan, and former Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. chief executive officer Alvaro A. Santos on April 17.

The three appointments are subject to the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation’s advice and consent.

Not an easy task

Inos separately told the three nominees that their specific term of office will be either two or four years, to be determined by lottery at the commission’s first meeting.

“This position will serve a critical function in the history of the Commonwealth as our people are relying on you to set high standards for gaming in the community and to establish the economic foundation for the future of residents and their families,” the governor said in separate appointment letters to Pangelinan, Sablan, and Santos.

Inos said he cannot stress enough the importance of the nominees’ duties in this important assignment.

“This is not going to be an easy task as gaming involves significant financial issues. You must be steadfast in your duty to protect the interests of the public and establish transparency and integrity in the Commonwealth’s gaming industry,” Inos told the nominees.

The nominees are immediately required to file a statement of financial interests with the Office of the Public Auditor and other prerequisites that the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation requires, among other things.

Functions

Each commission member will be paid $40,000 for the first year of the commission’s existence.

After the first year, they will be compensated at $20 an hour for official commission meetings attended.

The commission will promulgate rules and regulations as may be necessary to fulfill the law’s intent, policies and purposes.

The commission’s regulatory jurisdiction is confined to casinos licensed under Public Law 18-43, which amended the law that legalized casino gaming on Saipan.

It’s the Lottery Commission, though, that has the discretion to grant an exclusive casino license on Saipan, not the Casino Commission.

Rep. Ray Tebuteb (Ind-Saipan) said yesterday the delegation will work on the appointments, adding that he “perhaps would send the matter to the SNILD committees on Judiciary and Government Operations and Ways and Means.”

“I am not aware whether there’s already an investor that applied for a casino license but the governor is required by law to make the appointments within a certain number of days,” Tebuteb told Saipan Tribune.

Other appointees

Under Public Law 18-38, the governor has 30 days to appoint three members from Saipan to the Casino Commission after enactment of the law, subject to the Saipan legislative delegation’s advice and consent.

The mayors of Tinian and Rota also have 30 days each to appoint one each to the commission subject to the advice and consent of their respective legislative delegations.

Tinian Mayor Ramon Dela Cruz said yesterday he has not appointed anyone yet.

House floor leader Ralph Demapan (Cov-Saipan), main author of the casino bill that became law and later amended, said he’s hoping that investors would meet today’s deadline for application submission.

By May 5, a $30-million casino license has to be deposited in escrow representing the annual license fee for the first and fifth year.

The casino law allows the Lottery Commission to establish new application procedures in the event that a license is not issued within 90 days after the Act becomes law.

An investor granted a license to exclusively operate a casino on Saipan is required to build a hotel-resort with at least 2,000 rooms and an initial investment of $2 billion.

Hocog, meanwhile, said on Facebook that by making the $1 million nonrefundable application fee payment, he is “convinced there is a potential hope that the $30 million will also be paid…” He noted that $2 million each will go to Rota and Tinian.

“To our retirees, be rest assured that your 25 percent deferred payment will be retroactively paid back from October 2013 to June 2014. Beginning July and onward, your retirement check will be fully restored to 100 percent. Payment of the interest from all DB members will also be paid from this fund,” Hocog said.