DeLeon Guerrero retains CCC board chairmanship

Commonwealth Casino Commission board members elected Edward C. DeLeon Guerrero and Rafael S. Demapan to remain as chairman and vice chairman, respectively, during a board meeting last Thursday.

Mariano Taitano will remain the treasurer and was given the additional responsibly to serve as secretary.

Demapan will also be in charge of public relations for CCC.

The board members agreed that they will revisit their positions when two new commissioners will be appointed to replace outgoing commissioners Ramon M. Dela Cruz of Tinian and Martin T. Mendiola of Rota.

DeLeon Guerrero said a lot of people think that they conducted the election of officers because Dela Cruz and Mendiola are leaving.

DeLeon Guerrero said the practice or regulation says that they only serve the positions for one year, which starts May 1 until April 30 the next year.

After the election of officers, Mendiola and Dela Cruz delivered their farewell statements. Their term expires on April 30.

Mendiola said it’s been a rewarding membership, but the actual reward in his opinion has not arrived yet.

He said he has been looking forward to see the product of a settlement deal with Saipan casino licensee, Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC.

Mendiola said listening to IPI legal counsel Chuck Choi, he believes there is significant progress that can be built on coming up with a settlement.

He asked IPI to make it a priority to address the burial of the ancient remains that were found in the IPI’s casino/resort project in western Garapan.

“Because it might be the call of the spirits that has brought us to this point. So that we can refocus, and arrive at the best promise of future for the generations to come,” said the tearful Mendiola.

Mendiola said he believes that there is promise for the casino industry.

“We just need to combine forces and work together from the governor, to the legislature, to this body,” he said.

Dela Cruz said this casino industry can only be successful if every branch of the government come together to assess.

Dela Cruz said he was hoping that during the last six years, policymakers, lawmakers, and other regulatory agencies can appear before the commission on their regular monthly meeting so they can put heads together to address issues that are faced by both the commission and IPI.

“Sad to say whenever a member of the Legislature comes before the commission, you know, they always tried to chastise us, accuse us of you know, innuendos. And that never helps anybody,” Dela Cruz said.

He said for the CNMI to be successful, he believes it’s very crucial that the administration try to sit down with the investors or the business managers to try and address some of the issues before jumping the gun and accusing like the commission members of being corrupt.

“The past year has been very difficult for me and colleagues because we come here to Saipan to attend our monthly meeting on our own expense. Nobody’s helping us. We have volunteered our time,” Dela Cruz said.

He said this time when the economy is really bad, the CNMI needs every single dime and quarter that it can put into the treasury to assist the government.

“But we have been unsuccessful because we are faced with challenges,” Dela Cruz said.

He said super typhoons and COVID-19 affected everybody here in the Commonwealth.

Dela Cruz said if IPI is willing to be successful, they have to show a good faith effort in addressing all of the challenges and issues that have been brought forward by the commission.