Inos weighs in on Alter City, utility vouchers from BSI

Gov. Eloy S. Inos believes the Legislature’s approval the land lease deal between Alter City Group and the Department of Public Lands will be a boon to the CNMI economy.

“The Alter City land lease approval is not only good for Tinian but also good for the CNMI. …It’s a big project and it’s going to be good for the entire Commonwealth,” he said Sunday at the CNMI Republican Party headquarter at Spring Plaza in Gualo Rai.

The governor, who arrived on Saipan Friday after a medical checkup in the Philippines, also vowed, if re-elected, to support the relocation of the dumpsite at Puntan Diablo, where Alter City want to build an 18-hole golf course.

“I will, of course, help. We have to wait for the final [Environmental Impact Study] on that issue. There are different plans that have not been necessarily developed, but folks are looking at it right now. Whether it would be strictly a transfer station there on Tinian and then ship out the solid waste or come up with a different site. Depending on which one you want to do, cost could be varied, from very expensive to least expensive. But we need to remove that, especially with Alter City being interested in the area. Right now it’s like the old Puerto Rico dump; it’s an open dumpsite.”

On Best Sunshine’s $10-million contribution to residential customers of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp., Inos said it’s always nice to see residents benefit.

“That’s one of the first programs under their Community Benefit Program. The nice thing about it is they’re going to be directed down to the residents as opposed to just giving money to CUC and not knowing how and where it is going to be spent.”

Inos said the $10-million utility vouchers is only the first of many programs under Best Sunshine’s Community Benefit Program. The Hong Kong-based company is the developer of the $7.1-billion integrated casino resort on Saipan.

“I hope people will see some benefit from that assistance. Any money they get from that assistance is money they save so they can help their families. That’s always a great thing. We look forward to Best Sunshine fulfilling all its other community fund assistance to the CNMI.”

RGA endorsement
Inos also announced that his and Senate President Ralph Torres’ (R-Saipan) gubernatorial tandem recently got the support of the Republican Governors Association. The endorsement came with a $10,000 donation to the Inos-Torres campaign chest.

“That’s very much needed here and we’re very grateful for that assistance. We’re getting national attention and national assistance and that’s very important,” said Inos.

Aside from the money from RGA, which is headed by New Jersey Gov. James Christie, the local GOP also received a donation from the Republican National Committee.