Rep. Ralph Demapan (Cov-Saipan) is expected to introduce a bill legalizing casino gambling on Saipan after the Nov. 4 survey by the Current Issues class of the Northern Marianas College.<\/p>\n
Unlike the doomed House Local Bill 17-44, which Gov. Benigno R. Fitial vetoed on Oct. 6, Demapan\u2019s measure will be introduced on the House floor and will need to be approved by the Senate.<\/p>\n
HLB 17-44 was enacted by the Saipan and Northern Islands Local Delegation.<\/p>\n
\u201cTry and look around. Are we getting any better? Are we going to continue to sit here and not do anything? From the very beginning I already saw the House local bill\u2019s vulnerability for attacks and because of that I would like to introduce a Commonwealth law [legalizing casino gambling on Saipan],\u201d Demapan said yesterday.<\/p>\n
The bill is almost done, he said, and that it took him awhile to piece together because he wants it to adhere to Commonwealth codes and make sure that licensing and other associated fees will go to the NMI Retirement Fund and other important government programs.<\/p>\n
He intends to introduce the bill \u201chopefully by next week or [I could] wait\u201d until after the Nov. 4 survey of NMC. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn the meantime I would like to encourage everyone interested in this issue to go out and exercise their right to vote because we want to hear their opinion. It\u2019s always nice to get the sentiments of the people in addition to all the public hearings that were held several months ago,\u201d said Demapan.<\/p>\n
Senate President Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota) said the Senate\u2019s passage of yet another House-sponsored Saipan casino bill will hinge on the NMC survey.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it\u2019s overwhelming [for casino gambling on Saipan] that will signal the Senate members\u2019 support. One of our contentions is that people spoke up twice as recent as 2007 [that they\u2019re against Saipan casino). This [survey] will give a lot of weight to our deliberation and decision,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
House Speaker Eli D. Cabrera (R-Saipan) reiterated his support for casino gambling on Saipan, contending that the cash-strapped CNMI government needs revenue-generating measures.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe really need the revenue. Although it\u2019s a controversial issue, that\u2019s the only one right now that I can perceive that can save us. We really need to save our Retirement Fund,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Besides the struggling pension program, Cabrera pointed out that the government has not given any wage grade increases and merit increases in the last 14 years. That\u2019s on top of the current 31-hour work cuts government workers are already experiencing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe owe a lot to the employees. I don\u2019t blame them if they\u2019re not happy nowadays. They\u2019re owed money,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Chiming in on the issue, press secretary Angel Demapan said that the Fitial administration supports casino gambling on Saipan.<\/p>\n
\u201cClearly, we already know that our economy has been suffering and that we are in dire need of new industries that would realize large scale generation of revenue. For this reason, the administration is in support of establishing a properly regulated and profitable casino industry in Saipan.\u201d <\/p>\n
He said that Rep. Demapan is taking the right steps by introducing the bill as a CNMI-wide measure.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe administration had previously worked with members of the Legislature to come up with a quality bill aimed at legalizing casino on Saipan. The main issue at this point is to ensure that the bill is passed as a House bill instead of a local delegation bill so that there are no questions of constitutionality when the bill is enacted as a Commonwealth law rather than Saipan local law,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The press secretary, however, said the administration would have preferred having a special election or referendum take place instead of an informal survey results that will have no binding authority. <\/p>\n
\u201cNonetheless, the administration does encourage Saipan voters to participate in the upcoming survey so that our leaders can have a sense of the public\u2019s sentiment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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