IPI to respect court decision on licence revocation hearing

IPI director How Yo Chi said that although the company was disappointed with the U.S. high court’s decision, they were going to respect the court’s opinion.

Northern Mariana Islands.- Imperial Pacific International (IPI) has publicly expressed its acceptance of the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined IPI’s petition for a writ of certiorari. 

The decision, which upholds the Ninth Circuit’s ruling, allows the Commonwealth Casino Commission (CCC) to move forward with the revocation hearing of the company’s casino licence.

IPI director How Yo Chi wrote in an email on Thursday (January 11) that IPI was disappointed with the court’s decision but would respect the opinion.”

CCC vice chairman Ralph S. Demapan has set the revocation hearing for Jan. 31, 2024, at 9 a.m. in the commission’s conference room at Springs Plaza on Middle Road in Gualo Rai. 

According to Mariana’s Variety, the hearing will be conducted in accordance with the Commonwealth Administrative Procedures Act, the CCC Rules and Regulations and the NMI Administrative Code.

Demapan will preside over the hearing, which was issued in response to the motion of CCC executive director Andrew Yeom on Dec. 13, 2023. 

The purpose of the hearing is to offer the parties a chance to present their case and provide information pursuant to the law, for the Commission’s consideration before the Commission issues an order regarding the revocation of IPI’s exclusive casino gaming licence. 

Following the hearing, a decision will be made in accordance with the law.

IPI owes the CNMI over US$62m in licence fees and more than US$17.6m in regulatory fees for the years 2020 through 2023: US$79.6m in total.