PROPONENTS and opponents of Proposition A were invited to speak to the Guam Chamber of Commerce on Friday. Mr. Takami “Jack” Hisamoto of Hawaii had been at the meeting briefly, but was called away on other business. Instead, attorney Jennifer Dockter of Saipan addressed Chamber members’ questions.  The opponents of Prop A were represented by Jackie Marati of Keep Guam Good.

Marati was asked whether Keep Guam Good would still oppose the proposition if it was clear there would be no slot machines.

Marati answered that at this time the organization is addressing the initiative as it is presented. “The way it is currently written – and it’s not clearly written – it’s kind of confusing because it does have conflicting terms of conditions in it,” Marati stated in her response. “It’s so poorly written ... there’s no enforcement and there’s no sanctioning. There are no terms or conditions for removing its license.”

In addition, Marati stated the initiative would not be beneficial for Guam because tourists do not come to Guam to gamble. She reiterated her position that the initiative will bring slot machines to Guam because a provision opts out of the Johnson Act, which prohibits the transport of slot machines.

A new face for the proponents of the For-Profit Bingo Initiative, Dockter addressed all questions asked by the Chamber members. Questions mostly involved the identity of the main investor of the initiative: Hisamoto.

According to Dockter, Hisamoto will be speaking with mayors in the next couple of days, although he had not attended the first two meetings held in Yigo and Dededo. She said Hisamoto is an entrepreneur, but this is the first time he has invested in a bingo facility.

Dockter assured Chamber members that Hisamoto and the proponents of the initiative are not connected with the owners of Guam Greyhound or previous campaigns to bring for-profit bingo to the island.

She further listed the economic benefits of having a regulated bingo game on the island. “All we have to do is have one visitor spend an additional dollar and it is already benefitting Guam,” Dockter stated.

Prop A will be voted on at the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 6. Voters will get the chance to hear both sides at various village meetings arranged by the village mayors.