The House leadership has also decided to wait for the referendum result before acting on a new measure Speaker Eli D. Cabrera, R-Saipan, and the rest of the leadership made the decision during a meeting Monday afternoon.
Pro-casino Rep. Froilan C. Tenorio, Covenant-Saipan, was not happy with the leadership’s decision, saying that “the Senate has intimidated the House leadership.”
Anti-casino advocate Lorenzo LG. Cabrera, in a separate interview yesterday, said voters once again show their opposition to the legalization of casinos on Saipan by participating in the advisory referendum.
Cabrera noted that the people of Saipan have already said no twice to casinos — in 1979 and in 2007.
“The proponents are telling us that it is the only solution to our many money problems,” he said. “They are making us believe that there will be money for practically anything. Sadly, there are people who are allowing themselves to be swayed by what the proponents are saying.”
Cabrera said he does not believe casinos will make enough money to defray the cost of everything that will occur in the commonwealth one it is legalized.
The government, for example, will have to establish a casino gaming commission, he added.
The casino operation will increase the need for police and other social services, and collateral cost will include crimes against persons and properties and cases of domestic violence will increase, he added.
Then there will be the cost of litigation and detention, he said.
Tenorio said he believes Cabrera “must have already realized that majority of Saipan voters are now in favor of casino.”
