Flores to CCC board: Resign!

Noting that all the mess involving casino operator Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC occurred during their watch, Rep. Marissa Renee Flores (Ind-Saipan) yesterday urged all Commonwealth Casino Commission board members to resign.

Also, at the CCC monthly board meeting yesterday, IPI manager/director Howyo Chi disclosed that five legislators have met with investors who are willing to invest in IPI, but they (lawmakers) requested that IPI be excluded from the meeting.

Speaking during the public comments portion of the board meeting, Flores said that IPI’s casino license must be revoked not next week or next month but that day (yesterday).

“We have spent too much money and wasted too much time already on this failed monstrosity. The casino is a failure. It is a blight on our community and every day it continues to exist is one day too long,” Flores said.

She said its very existence has caused the CNMI to be blacklisted.

Flores said honest people do not want to invest in a business venture that has been federally investigated and tourists do not appreciate an abandoned building in the middle of their vacation.

“In terms of safety, do we need the crane to fall on one of our residents or tourists before we bring it down?” the lawmaker asked.

Flores also noted the Beijing Court’s decision that found IPI’s former project director Ji Xiaobo involved in criminal activities.

“I want to know what you’re going to do about it because apparently, you did not regulate them well enough. You failed to conduct your due diligence,” Flores told the board.

On behalf of the people of the CNMI and the people of her precinct, all CCC board members should resign as this whole mess happened under their watch, she said.

“You need to be held accountable and you need to be relieved of your duty so someone else can do the job that you have failed to do. Have some respect for the people and resign quickly and quietly and show that you have the competence to do this one act correctly,” Flores said.

Reps. Edwin K. Propst (D-Saipan) and Vicente Camacho (D-Saipan) also spoke at the meeting where they called for the immediate revocation of IPI’s casino license.

In response to commissioner Rafael Demapan’s question, IPI’s Chi disclosed that it is his understanding that potential casino investors have met with five CNMI legislators who requested that IPI be excluded from the meeting.

Sen. Corina L. Magofna (Ind-Saipan), who chairs the Senate Gaming Commission and attended the CCC board meeting yesterday, quickly clarified she was not one of the five legislators.

In response to CCC board chair Edward C. DeLeon Guerrero’s inquiries, Chi said they are aware of the Beijing Court’s decision, but they’re only allegations as Ji Xiaobo has not been found guilty yet.

As far as IPI CNMI is concerned, they are not doing anything illegal, Chi pointed out.

Chi said he has read the court decision and that he did not see any mention that Ji is a leader of a criminal syndicate—as stated in a magazine and news outlets.

DeLeon Guerrero recounted that they have actually started initiating investigations into these alleged criminal activities as part of the commission’s ongoing oversight and in the interest of maintaining the integrity of the CNMI’s gaming industry.

However, given their limited manpower for this effort, DeLeon Guerrero said the reached out to ask for help from the Office of the Attorney General and was trying to get even the Department of Public Safety to help them.

The chairman asked Chi to provide CCC documents and information relating to the suitability of IPI’s owners. DeLeon Guerrero said the Commission will be writing Chi about this and they expect the answers to be given in 10 days.

He said they want a list of all persons associated with IPI, including their names, the way in which they are or were associated with IPI, and names of the association, disclosure of any criminal investigations or convictions for all persons associated with IPI, details of all investors with significant stake in the casino here, including names, ownership percentages, and background information, among other information.

Chi said his information is that Ji is currently in Japan and that he last spoke with him on Wednesday.

Chi said he has spoken to the investor who stated they are willing to spend money in the CNMI.

The IPI director agreed with DeLeon Guerrero that it’s the same investor who committed $500 million, and already spent $150 million with IPI.

Chi said the investor is now willing to pay $80 million, but the condition is to allow three casino licenses and not just one.