Gov. Benigno R. Fitial has “encouraged” senators to “look into” the Saipan casino proposal, which was rejected by the Senate last September.
Manglona, Ind.-Rota, said he understands that the CNMI is in a tough economic crisis. “So when you are under this situation you have to put everything on the table,” he added.
He believes that the Saipan casino bill “does not have the votes” in the Senate.
“It will not pass the Senate. Most of the [other senators] will continue to take the same position,” Manglona added.
He said the casino proponents should “go out and get signatures so they can get a popular initiative on the ballot in the next elections.”
He said the people of Saipan have already spoken twice against casinos.
Cruz, R-Tinian, said he also prefers to put the casino proposal on the ballot.
“I am not going to support any casino bill that would come out from the House. How many times have the people said no?” he added.
He said he was not expecting the governor to bring up the casino issue during their meeting on Monday.
He said his other colleagues in the Senate were also “surprised” by the governor’s urging them to consider the Saipan casino proposal.
Cruz said he still believes that if both houses of the Legislature and the administration would work together to help the casinos on Tinian and Rota, “we can make a difference.”
He said they should help the casinos that are already in place.
This can be done, he added, by helping Tinian and Rota through infrastructure projects that will bring in more visitors.
The casinos on both islands have been struggling since they opened for business.
