New Saipan casino bill to be filed after NMC survey

Rep. Ralph Demapan (Cov-Saipan) is expected to introduce a bill legalizing casino gambling on Saipan after the Nov. 4 survey by the Current Issues class of the Northern Marianas College.

Unlike the doomed House Local Bill 17-44, which Gov. Benigno R. Fitial vetoed on Oct. 6, Demapan’s measure will be introduced on the House floor and will need to be approved by the Senate.

HLB 17-44 was enacted by the Saipan and Northern Islands Local Delegation.

“Try and look around. Are we getting any better? Are we going to continue to sit here and not do anything? From the very beginning I already saw the House local bill’s vulnerability for attacks and because of that I would like to introduce a Commonwealth law [legalizing casino gambling on Saipan],” Demapan said yesterday.

The bill is almost done, he said, and that it took him awhile to piece together because he wants it to adhere to Commonwealth codes and make sure that licensing and other associated fees will go to the NMI Retirement Fund and other important government programs.

He intends to introduce the bill “hopefully by next week or [I could] wait” until after the Nov. 4 survey of NMC.

“In the meantime I would like to encourage everyone interested in this issue to go out and exercise their right to vote because we want to hear their opinion. It’s always nice to get the sentiments of the people in addition to all the public hearings that were held several months ago,” said Demapan.

Senate President Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota) said the Senate’s passage of yet another House-sponsored Saipan casino bill will hinge on the NMC survey.

“If it’s overwhelming [for casino gambling on Saipan] that will signal the Senate members’ support. One of our contentions is that people spoke up twice as recent as 2007 [that they’re against Saipan casino). This [survey] will give a lot of weight to our deliberation and decision,” he said.

House Speaker Eli D. Cabrera (R-Saipan) reiterated his support for casino gambling on Saipan, contending that the cash-strapped CNMI government needs revenue-generating measures.

“We really need the revenue. Although it’s a controversial issue, that’s the only one right now that I can perceive that can save us. We really need to save our Retirement Fund,” he said.

Besides the struggling pension program, Cabrera pointed out that the government has not given any wage grade increases and merit increases in the last 14 years. That’s on top of the current 31-hour work cuts government workers are already experiencing.

“We owe a lot to the employees. I don’t blame them if they’re not happy nowadays. They’re owed money,” he said.

Chiming in on the issue, press secretary Angel Demapan said that the Fitial administration supports casino gambling on Saipan.

“Clearly, we already know that our economy has been suffering and that we are in dire need of new industries that would realize large scale generation of revenue. For this reason, the administration is in support of establishing a properly regulated and profitable casino industry in Saipan.”

He said that Rep. Demapan is taking the right steps by introducing the bill as a CNMI-wide measure.

“The administration had previously worked with members of the Legislature to come up with a quality bill aimed at legalizing casino on Saipan. The main issue at this point is to ensure that the bill is passed as a House bill instead of a local delegation bill so that there are no questions of constitutionality when the bill is enacted as a Commonwealth law rather than Saipan local law,” he said.

The press secretary, however, said the administration would have preferred having a special election or referendum take place instead of an informal survey results that will have no binding authority.

“Nonetheless, the administration does encourage Saipan voters to participate in the upcoming survey so that our leaders can have a sense of the public’s sentiment,” he said.