IMPERIAL Pacific International’s Hongtao Su said IPI critic and former Navy sailor Vincent “Kobre” Seman Aldan should stop bad-mouthing the casino investor which wants to “move forward.”
Both attended the Commonwealth Casino Commission meeting on Thursday.
Su, the IPI board’s senior adviser, presented a memorandum from IPI Holdings Executive Director Cheng Feng, authorizing him to represent IPI in negotiations and other discussions with the CNMI government, the casino commission and other agencies.
During the public comment portion of the CCC meeting, Tao Xing, also an advisor to IPI, told the commissioners that since 2014, IPI’s cumulative investment in the CNMI has exceeded $1 billion.
He said its casino-hotel project provided business opportunities to hundreds of local suppliers.
He noted that during the early years of IPI’s presence in the CNMI, the Commonwealth’s gross domestic product or GDP growth was 3.5% in 2015, 28.3% in 2016 and 25.6% in 2017.
The casino project, Xing added, created more than 2,000 employment opportunities in the Commonwealth, and “helped create a new industry from scratch while attracting and training hundreds of gaming talents for CNMI.”
Xing also said that IPI contributed to the CNMI government coffers more than $300 million in the form of taxes and fees paid during the following years:
– 2015, $16.28 million in licenses and fees.
– 2016, $35.6 million in taxes and $15.93 million in licenses and fees.
– 2017, $70.48 million in taxes and $16.24 million in licenses and fees.
– 2018, $46.35 million in taxes and $16.39 million in licenses and fees.
Xing also said IPI contributed to community and environmental protection that involved hundreds of community reconstruction, cleanups and beautification activities, and a community donation of more than $6 million.
He said IPI’s promotion of the CNMI consisted of nearly 100 international events, including the CNMI International Film Festival, international business forums, film and TV series shootings and international golf competitions.
For his part, Hongtao Su shared with the commissioners IPI’s plans, including the investment deal with South Korean company IH Group. One of IH Group’s local partners is Rota resident Vianney Hocog.
But according to Vincent “Kobre” Seman Aldan, an independent House candidate in Precinct 1, “it’s all lies.”
Aldan said he conducted research about IH Group and he doesn’t think it is a viable company that can fulfill its investment commitment to IPI.
The beautiful casino resort that IH Group displays on its website does not even exist, he added.
As for IPI’s contributions to the CNMI economy, this is what Aldan had to say:
“All the ‘great’ things you did, do not compare to all the damage you’ve done to families that believed in your false promises, all the unpaid vendors that lost on the ‘contracts’ they agreed on, all the laws you’ve violated, and total disregard of our ancestral burial ground, among other things. So your ‘great’ contribution is moot.”
With Tao Xing as his interpreter Hongtao Su said Aldan used to work for IPI as a construction site safety officer, and has a conflict of interest.
He said Aldan should stop “bad-mouthing” IPI, which simply wanted to “move forward.”
Casino Commission Chairman Edward C. Deleon Guerrero then told Su that the public comment section of the meeting is not for debating issues. Su said he just wanted to respond to Aldan’s criticism.
Deleon Guerrero said Su can argue or make a presentation to the commission, “but not in the public comment section.”
CCC Vice Chairman Ralph Demapan asked his fellow commissioners if they are aware of the agreement that IPI signed with IH Group.
Commissioner Martin Mendiola, who was recently sworn in to replace Diego Songao who resigned last year, said that he read a letter from the IH Group requesting an audience with the casino commissioners. He asked his fellow commissioners, “Are we going to [respond] to that letter?”
Citing the temporary restraining order imposed by the federal court, Deleon Guerrero said the commission was advised not to hear anything that has to do with the proposed investment plan.
On May 23, 2022, the federal court granted IPI’s motion and issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Commonwealth Casino Commission from holding a hearing on May 24-25, 2022 to revoke IPI’s exclusive casino license for its failure to pay the required fees among other alleged violations.
Imperial Pacific International senior adviser Hongtao Su, right, looks on as fellow IPI adviser, Tao Xing, left, translates Su’s statement to the Commonwealth Casino Commission during a meeting in its conference room in Gualo Rai on Thursday.
