Labor secretary pushes for federal warrant to inspect casino site

Sunday 18th of December 2016

Saipan’s Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez has requested for the federal court to issue a warrant to inspect the construction site of Imperial Pacific Resort in Garapan after an Occupational Safety and Health Administration was denied entry, Saipan Tribune reports.

The OHS administration was attempting to investigate the alleged death of a worker and other accidents on the site, but was not allowed to enter.

Perez said the investigation arose after an online complaint by a doctor working at the Commonwealth Health Center’s emergency room, who reported serious injuries at the project on a daily basis.

While the U.S. District Court for the NMI chief judge Ramona V. Manglona granted Perez’s request on Friday last week, MCC International Saipan Ltd. Co., which operates a construction contracting business at the project reportedly filed an emergency motion on Friday to quash the warrant.

“MCC is unaware of the existence of any complaint or any plan sufficient to justify issuance of warrant of such scope, and it therefore appears that the warrant has been issued without sufficient probable cause and should be quashed,” said MCC counsels Robert J. O’Connor and Joseph E. Horey on Friday.

The lawyers added that the warrant is extremely broad and covers the entire operation and entire premises.

It’s not clear whether Manglona granted or denied MCC’s motion to quash, according to the Saipan Tribune.

Bricks & Mortar IR Construction Safety Warrant Accidents