In reaction to the Saipan Chamber of Commerce statement that the casino investor should be held to account for violating rules, IPI Chief Executive Officer Donald Browne said that since it was awarded the exclusive casino license, IPI has created thousands of jobs and generated countless business opportunities for hundreds of local businesses.
To date, Browne said IPI has invested over $1 billion in the CNMI and paid over $300 million in taxes and fees to the Commonwealth government — “more than all the chamber members combined,” he added.
“It’s easy to pick on businesses when they’re struggling,” Browne said. “Rational thinkers know well that the CNMI has been insulated from the effects of the pandemic due to the federal government bailout.”
He said unlike many businesses on island, IPI has not received even $1 in federal assistance.
“Once the Keynesian stimulus runs out at the end of this month, the CNMI will need businesses determined to weather the storm,” the CEO added.
“We are not giving up without doing everything we can to ensure our existence and the existence of all businesses in the CNMI,” he added.
In a letter to Commonwealth Casino Commission Chairman Edward C. Deleon Guerrero on Tuesday, chamber president Velma Palacios said IPI should be held accountable for violating labor laws, wage and hour rules, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations.
She said IPI should be held “to the same standards as the rest of our business community in practicing good corporate [citizenship] and governance.”
