THE Commonwealth Casino Commission on Thursday thanked Imperial Pacific International’s construction manager Eric Poon for being “straightforward” and “forthcoming” regarding the casino project on island.
Poon has been on Saipan for six years to oversee the construction of the IPI casino hotel in Garapan and report its progress to the Casino Commission every month. On Jan. 25, he submitted a 30-day notice of his resignation that will take effect Friday, Feb. 25, 2022.
IPI’s management wished Poon all the best, saying he performed well as construction manager while regularly informing the government and the public about issues related to the hotel-casino project.
On Thursday, he informed the casino commission about the progress of the tower crane removal from the unfinished casino-hotel.
He said tower crane No. 6 has been removed, and the IPI construction team led by certified crane operator Jesse Aquiningoc is now in the process of removing tower crane No. 5.
Because Thursday’s meeting with the commission was Poon’s last, Commissioner Ramon M. Dela Cruz took the opportunity to express his appreciation to the construction manager.
“You have been very honest — I wish you good luck on your future endeavors,” Dela Cruz said.
Casino Commission Chairman Edward C. Deleon Guerrero echoed Dela Cruz’s expression of gratitude to Poon, especially for the removal of tower crane no. 6.
“I am delighted and appreciative that he ensured that the crane is successfully removed,” Deleon Guerrero added.
“I also want to thank him on behalf of the commission. For the past six years, he has been one of few people that are forthcoming in presenting information to the commission.”
Poon, for his part, thanked the commissioner, the commission and all the people he has worked with. “I am very lucky that I met a bunch of good people,” he said. The good working relationship and the friendship he has with the people of the Commonwealth “is something that you cannot buy with money.”
Imperial Pacific International construction manager Eric Poon speaks to the Commonwealth Casino Commission on Thursday in the commission’s conference room in Gualo Rai.
