‘Truly brutal operating for whole year’
Commonwealth Casino Commission chair Edward C. DeLeon Guerrero said CCC’s suffering for a whole year operating with no staff and no budget was “truly brutal.”
Speaking during the CCC board’s monthly meeting last Thursday, DeLeon Guerrero said, however, it was necessary for them to continue to move forward in the proceedings against Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC.
The chairman and four other commissioners have been working for over a year now without receiving compensation due to Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC’s non-payment of annual regulatory fee for four years.
The chairman recalled that they had to stay up late working with two assistant attorneys general before the arbitration in the case against IPI.
DeLeon Guerrero said it necessitated in many regards to what caused his recusal from the revocation case against IPI because there was no executive director for CCC and there was no staff.
“It was a very difficult situation to deal with,” DeLeon Guerrero said.
DeLeon Guerrero also stated that having worked with the casino industry for the last six, seven years, he believes there is room for this industry to contribute to the CNMI’s economic development.
He underscored the need to revisit the statute on the gaming industry and see how they can improve it, and maybe have all stakeholders participate in the resolution of the future of this industry.
“It would be a win-win situation,” the chair said.
The CCC office at the Springs Plaza in Gualo Rai temporarily closed starting Jan. 19, 2023, due to lack of funds.
DeLeon Guerrero said IPI owes CCC and the CNMI government a total of $79,635,280 in annual license fee, annual regulatory fee, and penalties.
The annual license fee is $15,502,570 that was due on Aug. 12, 2020 and all the way to 2023, or for a total of $62,010,250 for four years of IPI’s delinquent.
The annual regulatory fee is $3,150,000 that was due on Oct. 1, 2020 and for each year until 2023, or for a total of $12,600,000 for four years of delinquent.
All CCC’s enforcement actions against IPI for non-compliance with the CCC mandates ended up at $5 million with $25,000 in penalties against IPI, which were affirmed by the Superior Court and subsequently by the CNMI Supreme Court.
Edward C. Deleon Guerrero
