Northern Marianas Gov. Ralph Torres has rejected a bill that will allow the operations of poker arcades in select Saipan villages, The Saipan Tribune reported.
In his veto transmittal letter to Rep. John Paul Sablan, Torres expressed reservations on the poker bill’s impact on the economic growth of Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) if House Bill (HB) 20-48 will be enacted. HB 20-48, which Sablan authored, seeks to transform certain lots in southwestern Saipan into mixed commercial districts to accommodate the relocation of poker arcades from villages and non-specific areas.
However, Torres pointed out that it will cost the CNMI government some $1.4 million in revenue from the annual poker machine licensing fee if he signs the bill. There is an estimated 120 poker machines in the CNMI, each remitting $12,000 in renewal fee to the government annually.
The fees from poker go straight to the government’s socio-economic projects such as the Northern Marianas Trades Institute, non-profit and community organizations, and the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance (SHEFA), which Torres said is a crucial lifeline for students who wish to improve their lives through higher education.
“While I agree with the interest and intent of the delegation to support the economic growth and business development and provide funding to important community activities, I am unable to approve of H.L.B. 20-48, S1 as I maintain reservations about the nature of the economic growth if this bill were to be enacted,” Torres said, according to the news outlet.
The Northern Marianas governor, nevertheless, recognized the steadfast commitment of the lawmakers to transferring gambling activities away from the villages and to create a framework that will prevent ensure the welfare of the community.
“I still believe this policy is necessary and [I] am confident our joint efforts in creating economic growth in various other sectors of our economy can provide the resources of the constituents of Saipan and the Northern Islands,” Torres said.
The CNMI government has been opposing HB 20-48 since the day it was introduced in Congress. The Commonwealth Zoning Office expressed its disapproval on HB 20-48, saying it contradicts another law that requires poker machines to move out from the villages.
The post Northern Marianas governor blocks poker bill appeared first on CalvinAyre.com.
0 comments:
Post a Comment