THE Department of Public Works is seeking authorization from the Commonwealth Casino Commission to enter the Imperial Pacific International casino-hotel in Garapan and inspect the condition of the unfinished building and the tower cranes sitting on top of it.
In his letter to Casino Commissioner Ralph S. Demapan on Monday, DPW Secretary Ray N. Yumul said it is necessary for DPW’s building safety code inspectors to assess the existing condition of the electrical, mechanical and standard components of the building, and to verify the integrity of the building and welding connections.
In addition, Yumul said DPW wants to conduct a visual inspection of tower cranes No. 1 and No. 5.
During the last safety inspection of the construction site and equipment in May 2021, it was learned that the cranes and their safety rails were already rusting.
Yumul said since the construction of IPI’s resort and casino stopped in 2021 following a federal court order, the building as well as its mechanical equipment and electrical components may have been exposed to weather conditions that are detrimental to the safety of the building.
He said DPW’s safety inspection will identify critical areas that may need immediate attention to prevent serious disasters from occurring and to protect life and property.
Yumul served as chief executive officer of IPI for about year before resigning in February 2022 after a heated exchange with members of the Commonwealth Casino Commission over IPI’s failure to remove a crane from its building.
The unfinished Imperial Pacific International building in Garapan.
