Previous Story
Frustration on veto of shooting resort grows
|
Posted on Jan 11 2001
The Senate continues to receive a barrage of telephone calls from local citizens and businessmen expressing their dismay over the government’s recent decision to abandon plans to establish so called “shooting resorts” in the Commonwealth.
Senate President Paul Manglona said the two Korean investors interested to open shooting resorts worth $25 million on the islands felt they were misled by the government into believing that they would be allowed to sink their money into the multi-million dollar venture.
“Even before the actual construction of the project took place, these investors had already spent some of their money here by putting up offices and hiring the personnel to look after its daily operations,” Mr. Manglona said.
The Senate President added the investors could have been warned earlier not to pursue their proposed venture had the administration made it clear it did not want to see such types of development in the Northern Marianas.
Mr. Manglona cautioned the government against leading investors to believe they have a chance in opening businesses here since it will eventually hurt the CNMI’s reputation and credibility among developers.
While the governor stated safety concerns as the major reason for vetoing the measure, Mr. Manglona believes it was the pressure from several special interest groups that led the governor to veto House Bill 12-212.
The Senate is not likely to override the governor’s veto but it may do so if their House counterparts decide to overturn the administration’s action.
