Former Chamber president: Casino is not the answer to CNMI’s economic problems

Former Saipan Chamber of Commerce president Efrain Camacho told the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation’s Ways and Means Committee that a “casino is not the answer” to the CNMI’s economic woes.

He pointed out the lack of studies that show otherwise.

“I want Congressman Stanley Torres to produce documents showing that casinos will benefit Saipan. Without substantiating documents, casinos can’t be justified,” Camacho said in a letter to the delegation’s Ways and Means Committee chair, Rep. Ray Yumul (R-Saipan).

Both the delegation’s Ways and Means Committee and the Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee chaired by Rep. Joseph Palacios (R-Saipan) held six public hearings on Torres’ House Local Bill 17-44.

HLB 17-44 seeks to legalize casino gambling on Saipan.

Palacios said they have decided to submit a certified question to the court whether or not the local casino bill is constitutional. That certified question has yet to be finalized.

Yumul and Palacios said their committees are now compiling the results of the public hearings. Yumul said after transcribing the comments made during the public hearings, the committees will then have to deliberate on the merits of the comments, as well as the legislation itself.

“Some members are already talking about making changes to the bill,” he told Saipan Tribune.

Camacho, president of EFC Engineers & Architects and a former Commonwealth Ports Authority director, said he was recently in New Mexico and spoke with casino owners who all stated that it takes a lot of money to regulate the industry.

“Do we have that money? Where is it going to come from?” he asked.

Camacho also said the delegation allocates additional money to Rota to support the casino commissioner.

“Why? It is unlikely that casinos on Rota will develop as envisioned. There are simply not enough people within easy travel,” he said.

Camacho said poker was legalized under the premise that it would bring tourists to play the machines, but did not. Instead, he said, many locals are asking for loans to play poker machines. He feels that poker gaming has done more harm than good to the CNMI.

“The people spoke on at least two occasions. Why is the Legislature taking it upon itself to legalize it?” Camacho said.

Rep. Froilan Tenorio’s (Cov-Saipan) House bill legalizing casino gambling on Saipan passed the House last year but was killed by the Senate. The Senate, which would like voters to decide on casino gambling, said it will again kill the measure if another Saipan casino bill is put to a vote. Torres introduced a “local” bill to legalize it, and the Senate warned it will bring the matter to court once the bill is passed by the Saipan delegation.