In an interview on Tuesday, Tenorio, the author of the casino bill rejected by the Senate early this month, said he believes that majority of the island’s residents now favor the legalization of casino on Saipan.
Saipan voters rejected a casino initiative in 2007.
“They would rather have casino than see half of the government employees getting laid off. We don’t have enough money to run the government,” said Tenorio, Covenant-Saipan.
“In the casino initiative, all the gaming revenues will stay on Saipan,” he said.
In his bill, Rota and Tinian would have received a share of the Saipan casino revenues.
Bernardo Cruz, an employee of the Department of Public Works, said he supports a casino on Saipan.
He said the Senate should reconsider its decision to “kill” the casino bill.
“The economy is going down and the casino operation on Saipan will help save us,” he added.
House Ways and Means Chairman Ramon S. Basa, Covenant-Saipan, said majority of those who attended the public hearings over the last few months favored the casino bill.
