3 Saipan casino commissioners finally confirmed

More than three months after Gov. Eloy S. Inos signed the Saipan casino law, the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation finally confirmed his nominees for the Saipan Casino Commission.

The delegation passed the Judiciary and Governmental Operations committee chair Christopher Deleon Guerrero’s (Ind-Saipan) report recommending the confirmation of Alvaro A. Santos, Joseph C. Reyes, and Juan M. Sablan last Friday during its session at the House chamber.

Reyes was confirmed on a vote of 16 yes votes with four absences, while Santos and Sablan were confirmed with identical 15 yes votes and the lone no vote coming from House Vice Speaker Frank Dela Cruz (Ind-Saipan), who said their confirmation would conflict with the CNMI government’s law against double dipping

Reyes, a former representative and chairman of the NMI Retirement Fund, said he’s honored and happy to be confirmed.

“Now it’s time to wait for the swearing in and after that is when the organization begins to charter a course to make the outlay as to how we’re we going to do all of these, given the magnitude of the work ahead of us,” Reyes said, adding it’s “pretty much unheard of” for an island in the Western Pacific to have a $7.1-billion integrated casino resort project.”

Santos, a former Marianas Public Land Trust board trustee, said the Saipan Casino Commission needs to hire staff and rent an office first before anything else. After that, he said they would need to thoroughly review Public Law 18-56, the Saipan casino law, and then begin “communicating with other casino entities.”

Sablan said he, Reyes, and Santos need a lot of help in making sure the CNMI’s newest industry will become a success.

“I’m ready to work and make sure to protect our people and government. We want to make sure to play a clean game here,” said Sablan, who is a former Commonwealth Development Authority director, tax auditor, and worked for the Mariana Islands Housing Authority.

Acting press secretary Ivan Blanco welcomed the three’s confirmation. “That’s good news. I’m pretty sure the governor would be pleased and appreciative of the [SNILD’s] approval of his nominees so we can finally get the work going sooner than later.”

JGO committee chair Rep. Christopher Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan) is relieved that everyone can now tackle the business of regulating the Saipan casino industry.

“The point is Public Law 18-56 has been a law for 90 days. That’s already too long and we haven’t had the commissioners to start putting in place regulations for this mega casino investment. That’s one of the concerns.”

Senate floor leader Pete Reyes (Ind-Saipan) said he’s been pushing for the confirmation not only of Sablan, Santos, and Reyes but also the original group made up of Santos, former senator Maria Frica T. Pangelinan, and businessman David C. Sablan because the casino law has already been passed for a long time.

“We need to regulate [the casino] so why are we procrastinating in confirming nominees from the governor? The only conclusion of this and I can’t help but think is political. I’m not only frustrated but also agitated that before today, every attempt [to have the nominees confirmed have been blocked]. I’m relieved and now we can regulate this casino. It needed to be regulated from Day 1.”

Under the Saipan casino law, the Saipan Casino Commission is supposed to come up with regulations and regulate the casino industry, among other things.

Best Sunshine International Ltd. won the exclusive license to build a casino on Saipan.