IPI lawyer to push extension

An Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC lawyer told the Commonwealth Casino Commission last week that he is planning to propose an extension on the scheduled deadline of the Imperial Pacific Resort completion.

IPI general counsel Philip J. Tydingco told commissioners last Thursday that he would be recommending that the Aug. 31, 2018, deadline for the completion of the casino-resort be extended.

Commission executive director Edward Deleon Guerrero earlier reminded IPI executives that failure to come up with 329 rooms by the deadline would mean they would be in violation of the casino license agreement.

“I am fully aware of the obligations that we have, and that is why…I will be recommending an extension,” said Tydingco.

He insists that his recommendation is not politically influenced but only “given what the engineers and the contractors say we can achieve in a safe engineering manner.”

“[It] should be done in a safe engineering and constructional manner, so that is sort of the guiding principal,” said Tydingco.

The commission did not comment on the statement.

IPI was recently approved 1,542 H2-B visas, with the workers expected to arrive in early March, according to IPI’s Eric Poon, reporting to the commission.

He added that the workers were sourced from the Philippines and Taiwan.

He said that IPI currently has about 216 workers as a result of their recent contract signing with Pacific Rim Constructors in Guam and includes the project management team and engineers from the construction firm.

A progress report from IPI submitted to the commission noted that work on the casino resort went down to sluggish rates after IPI’s prime contractor, MCC International, left the island after it was learned that they used illegal workers.

“We are working…to bring the [workers] on board as soon as possible. Hopefully the first batch [will arrive] at the beginning of March 2018,” Poon noted.

Poon’s report did not specify how many H2-B visas IPI applied for and how many were denied. He noted that visas would all be used for the construction of the casino resort.

“I just want to move forward… [of course,] doing it right and emphasi[zing] safety,” said Joseph Reyes, commission vice chair. “Let’s prove the [detractors] wrong.”

Poon responded, “…We want to show the whole…world that we have an amazing project and we are going to have a 5-6 star hotel on Saipan.”

Poon added that IPI is currently in talks to add more shifts in a day to complete the construction by the deadline of August 2018.