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‘IPI current on all payrolls’
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Posted on Apr 09 2021
Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC has paid all the payrolls of its employees, according to acting Commonwealth Casino Commission executive director Vicente B. Babauta.
In his report obtained by Saipan Tribune yesterday, Babauta said IPI paid for pay periods 5 and 6 with due dates of Feb. 26 and March 12, respectively.
As of March 26, Pay Period 7 with due date of that day was scheduled to be released.
Babauta said there were rumors that only partial payments were made on Pay Period 5. “As we found out, certain payrolls were held up because of insufficient time sheet submission, which needed extra time to verify the accuracy of the work hours. Nevertheless, they are all paid now,” he said.
Early last month, IPI chief executive officer Ray N. Yumul informed IPI employees about the termination of employee benefits due to severe budgetary constraints effective 30 days from March 9.
On CCC’s budget, Babauta said for February 2021, the commission’s total expense was $180,778.
Of this total monthly expense, 75.36% went to personnel wages and benefit, and 14.98% was spent on the board and other compensation.
CCC currently has 40 full-time employees, including its legal counsel, assistant attorney general Michael Ernest.
Babauta said their communication specialist has resigned to relocate to the U.S. mainland.
On CCC’s bank account set up, the acting executive director said they had a conference call with Finance Secretary David DLG Atalig, whom they asked to help establish CCC’s bank account, as required by Public Law 21-38.
Babauta said they reminded Atalig to make sure that CCC’s payroll to employees will not be disrupted, and Atalig gave his assurance.
CCC is now transitioning itself to establish its own bank accounts, cashier, payroll, human resources, procurement regulations, and other things, after Gov. Ralph DLG Torres enacted Public Law 21-38 last January. P.L. 21-38 clarifies CCC’s regulatory oversight of the Saipan casino industry.
