Torres backs public hearing to determine IPI’s ‘financial suitability’—if CCC wants it

If the Commonwealth Casino Commission believes that a public hearing is needed to determine and lay bare Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC’s “financial suitability,” then Gov. Ralph DLG Torres said he will support that.

Speaking at a radio news briefing last Friday, Torres said that, in his opinion, at the end of the day his administration wants to make sure that, as a government, they’re here to help companies, their private partners.

“It’s a partnership. So…if this is something that CCC needs to do in order to move forward, then obviously I will support that,” said the governor in response to Saipan Tribune’s request for comments about the idea of holding such a public hearing, as had been intimated by the commission.

During a meeting last month, CCC chair Edward Deleon Guerrero raised the idea of holding a public hearing to determine if IPI has the financial capability to continue the construction and operation of the casino/resort facility in Garapan, among other projects. At that hearing, Deleon Guerrero said, they will ask IPI to prove that it has the money to continue with its projects in the CNMI.

Torres himself hopes that IPI has that capacity. “I hope that IPI [remains] here in the CNMI if they’re able to take care of their duties and responsibilities for the Commonwealth, [like] every other company and industry,” he said.

Early this month, acting CCC executive director Andrew Yeom filed another complaint against IPI before the CCC board, this time over IPI’s failure to pay the $3.1 million regulatory fee that was due last Oct. 1.

Yeom, through assistant attorney general Michael L. Ernest, filed two claims against IPI for violation of the Commonwealth Code and CCC regulation, a claim for breach of contract, and a claim for declaratory order.

Last August, Yeom, through Ernest, also filed a complaint against IPI before the CCC board over its failure to pay the $15.5 million annual casino license fee by the deadline last Aug. 12. Yeom filed the same four claims against IPI.

Separately, then-CCC executive director Charlie Atalig, through Ernest, filed a complaint before the CCC board against IPI in June for allegedly failing to contribute $40 million in Community Benefit Fund money in 2018 and 2019 as required by the casino license agreement.