The opening of a casino in Garapan will have socioeconomic impacts that the community should be prepared for, according to some lawmakers.<\/p>\n
Rep. Vinson Sablan (Ind-Saipan) said the community should not \u201cjust see the dollar sign, but the effects of it in the CNMI.\u201d
\n\u201cWill it have any impact on crimes such as theft or money laundering?\u201d Sablan asked.<\/p>\n
An increase in population might also be inevitable, he added, because this it what usually happens to places where a gaming industry exists.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is no secret that these things comes with the gaming industry. I understand it is coming, whether it happens this week or two years from now, it will happen,\u201d Sablan said. \u201cThe money will come. What comes with that money is my worry.\u201d<\/p>\n
The lawmaker said he is hoping that the Department of Public Safety will be ready once the casino opens.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe thing is, DPS is coming to the Legislature asking for more funding. The department needs to be up to speed as this casino industry happens,\u201d Sablan said.<\/p>\n
He added that a casino happening \u201cis not much of a surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure there will be some good things that comes with it, but we just have to be prepared. A lot of people are seeing the dollar sign, but I always said we have to be careful,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Rep. Roman Benavente (Ind-Saipan) said he has nothing against the casino. His beef is that there are laws that do not apply to the casino and only to the community. He said this \u201cbending of some laws\u201d is what worries him.<\/p>\n
He said, though, that it is happening and that what he hopes is that regulators will be ready to handle the industry. \u201cThe money we will be getting from the casino is small compared to its social impact,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Best Sunshine International, Ltd., which has an exclusive license to operate a casino on Saipan, will reportedly open a \u201clive training facility\u201d in Garapan this month.<\/p>\n
The casino will be a first on Saipan, but BSI has yet to give a definite date on its opening.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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