THE trips she took to Manila and San Diego, California last month are aimed at reviving the CNMI economy, Senate Floor Leader Corina L. Magofna said.
Magofna, who chairs the Senate committees on Gaming, and Resources, Economic Development and Programs, was among the lawmakers who attended the ASEAN Gaming Summit in Manila on March 21 to 23. After the summit, she headed to San Diego, California to attend the Indian Gaming Conference.
In an interview over the weekend, Magofna said she decided to attend the summit in Manila and the conference in San Diego “primarily on the premise and focus on economic development…. Essentially, reviving our economy.”
The senator said gaming will now be pursued as an amenity for the CNMI tourism industry rather than a standalone industry. In other words, she added, gaming will be treated and viewed as a form of entertainment or a recreational activity for tourists visiting the CNMI.
Not a junket
She said she did not go on “junket trips as claimed by critics.”
“There’s no personal enrichment other than to gather a deeper understanding of the feasibility of gaming within the CNMI’s economic makeup, as well as establish a network with industry leaders, regulators and vendors,” Magofna said.
She added that she also invited the other members of the Senate Gaming and Resources, Economic Development and Programs committees to join her on both trips.
“And I will respectfully defer to each member to explain their reason for why they did or did not attend the conference with me,” she said.
She said she is aware of the “negative perception associated with gaming,” adding that “the industry here is tainted and questionable.”
However, she said, “I am optimistic and hopeful that the CNMI can still make gaming work as an amenity.”
The Commonwealth Casino Commission, she said, must implement stricter regulations and tighten control of the gaming industry, mandating operators to operate in a more responsible and accountable manner.
Magofna said it is also critical that enforcement agencies play a key role in ensuring that all regulations are complied with at all times.
She said it is common knowledge that the CNMI is currently in a financial crisis and its economy is still striving to recover from the adverse effects and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The local economy “is in dire need of revival,” she added.
Magofna said there’s tremendous pressure on her as the chair of Gaming, and Resources, Economic Development and Programs committees to help “minimize the suffering of the people, as well as to do something about the deteriorating casino industry.”
She noted that many people on island have reached the conclusion that the casino industry is “dead and done.”
“But I wanted to do my due diligence and personally hear it directly from the casino experts and leaders in the industry. More importantly, I wanted to understand why it was no longer feasible here in the CNMI, and how can we make it work for us,” she said.
Additionally, she wanted to meet and network with potential investors and vendors at the summit and conference, and to invite them to open shop in the CNMI.
That was the economic development portion she was focused on pursuing, the senator said.
To be continued
Senate Floor Leader Corina L. Magofna attends a Senate session on Monday.
