SENATE minority bloc members Paul A. Manglona and Edith Deleon Guerrero are urging the Senate leadership to act on Senate Bill 22-23, which proposes to open up the casino license to other interested investors.
In a joint letter to Senate Floor Leader Vinnie Sablan, Manglona and Deleon Guerrero said S.B. 22-23 can help the CNMI government pay the retirees’ 25% benefit.
“It has been identified that for fiscal year 2023, the 25% for the retirees’ pension will be entirely dependent on the casino gross revenue tax,” Manglona and Deleon Guerrero said.
“This raises grave concern since IPI shut down its casino on March 17, 2020 as a result of the global pandemic caused by the Covid-19 virus. Furthermore, in addition to the suspension of its casino license, we feel that these existing issues and the downfall of the casino’s operations negatively impacted the funding of the 25% for retirees’ pension,” the two senators said.
Manglona and Deleon Guerrero added: “It is evident that the financial calamity of Imperial Pacific International, LLC has only worsened over time. IPI has been faced with numerous lawsuits due to nonpayment of contractual obligations, nonpayment of workers, etc.”
They urged the Senate floor leader to likewise “move” Senate Joint Resolution 22-01, which requests Gov. Ralph DLG Torres to instruct the Planning and Development Advisory Council representative to “immediately provide a report” to the Legislature on casino projects.
Manglona and Deleon Guerrero said P.L. 22-23 and S.J.R. 22-01, which were referred to the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee, “potentially provide a solution.”
“However, due to the lack of action by this legislative body, we once again, request action on the two matters noted above,” the senators told Sablan.
The committee’s deadline to act on S.B. 22-23 and S.J.R. 22-01 was April 18, 2021, Manglona and Deleon Guerrero said.
They cited Rule 7, Section 8(c) of the Official Rules of the Senate: “A Committee shall report to the Senate all actions taken on any matter referred to it. The report is due within 60 days from the referral date and within 90 days from the referral date for legislative initiatives and referenda.”
Manglona and Deleon Guerrero said they also wrote a letter to Senate President Jude U. Hofschneider, requesting action. “However, to date, no response has been provided and the two matters are still with the Senate Standing Committee on Fiscal Affairs.”
The committee is chaired by Sen. Victor B. Hocog.
