Grey says Tinian Immigration officers need inspection training

Immigration Director Melvin Grey has underscored the need to conduct inspection training for the Tinian immigration officers pertaining to international flights in anticipation of the island’s economic boom due to the casino industry.

Grey, in an interview with Saipan Tribune, said as more casinos are expected to be put up on Tinian, this will bring more tourists and international flights are coming in.

“So we need to get our inspectors up there to be familiar with inspection process,” he pointed out.

The director said they want to bring Tinian immigration officers to Saipan for them to experience how it works at the international airport.

“They don’t have international inspections training. They are all classified as inspectors, but they have no experience (on international flights inspections) to speak up because they have been over there without the international flights,” Grey explained.

He said Tinian immigration officers are doing processing and investigator works so they want them to get on hands experience here on Saipan where there are a number of international flights.

Grey said they are still looking for funding to start the training.

He said at present, there are 10 Immigration officers on Tinian.

The director said he believes two more are needed because of the expected increase of tourists visiting Tinian due to Gov. Benigno R. Fitial’s programs of bringing in investors.

The Tinian Casino Gaming Control Commission had stated that it is still encouraging other interested casino developers as there are two more slots available.

TCGCC chairman William M. Cing announced that to date only three casino licenses have been issued and that the commission has yet to receive a casino license application from any of the new casino investors.

Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez recently disclosed that top officials from the Baltimore-based Cordish Company are visiting the CNMI for a full presentation of their $200-million casino and golf project on Tinian.

Cordish was the second casino to sign a memorandum of agreement with the Fitial-Villagomez administration.

The first was Marianas Resort Development Co. Inc., which already broke ground to start construction of a $170-million casino and golf course project on Tinian.

Under the casino law, Tinian can issue up to five casino licenses. At present, only the Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino has been operating.