In a luncheon meeting at the Fiesta Resort & Spa, Fitial assured members of the House leadership that casino will be legalized on Saipan.
Since he still has 40 days to act on House Local Bill 17-44, which the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation passed last month, Fitial told lawmakers to move ahead with the new CNMI legislation.
The draft of the bill, which is basically another version of H.L.B. 17-44, has already been completed, and according to House Floor Leader George N. Camacho, Ind.-Saipan, it will be pre-filed today.
Rep. Joseph M. Palacios, R-Saipan, said they were assured that the administration has “already communicated” with the Senate with regard to the legalization of casino on Saipan.
Palacios said the governor told them that he wants the casino law passed by the Senate, too.
The Senate, which is dominated by Rota and Tinian, promised to pass a new casino bill that will benefit the entire commonwealth not only Saipan, Palacios said.
“We, in the leadership, are hoping that the Senate will do so. If they pass the new casino bill, then we will know they are serious about it,” Palacios said.
Variety learned that lawmakers from Tinian and Rota are ready to work with the House leadership on Saipan casino measure.
The Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino is struggling to survive while the new Rota casino has remained closed since March.
Variety learned that Tinian Dynasty now owes the Internal Revenue Service a big amount of money and may soon receive a notice of federal tax lien.
Tinian leaders are now hoping that a Saipan casino will help not only the people of Tinian but Tinian Dynasty as well.
Working group
Meanwhile, the House leadership has named four members to a bicameral group that will work on a new casino bill acceptable to both houses.
Speaker Eli D. Cabrera, R-Saipan, said he appointed Palacios, Reps. Ralph S. Demapan, Covenant-Saipan, Sylvestre I. Iguel, Covenant-Saipan, and Tony P. Sablan, R-Saipan.
Cabrera said he is confident that they are ready and willing to work with their Senate counterparts.
“We decided to come up with the working group to see if the Senate is ready to work with the House,” Cabrera told reporters on Friday.
The Senate has yet to appoint its four members, but Variety was told there will be one senator each from Rota and Tinian and two from Saipan.
