In a resolution, the Tinian Chamber of Commerce said about 90 percent of commerce on Tinian is derived from the Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino whose clients are 70 percent Chinese tourists.
“[T]he exclusion of China in the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver program will have irreparable harm on the Dynasty, local economy, and municipal government,” it said.
The chamber, which also represents other business entities on the island, including the yet to be opened major hotel and casino projects, said the Chinese market is a very important aspect in the success of their business.
“[T]he Tinian Chamber of Commerce members believe that it is in the best interest of the residents of Tinian that [the U.S. Department of Homeland Security] include China in the Visa Waiver Program, as it is essential for the survival of Tinian’s casino industry, and…that DHS should open an office on Tinian to provide the same service extended to the businesses on Saipan without subjecting them to additional costs and inconvenience,” the resolution further said.
Led by its president Phillip Mendiola-Long, the chamber is also asking DHS to open U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office on their island,
The USCIS office is on Saipan.
According to the chamber, the Department of Labor processed over 1,200 non-resident worker applications on Tinian in 2008. About half of them are employed by Tinian Dynasty.
