Cayetano, Mizuguchi,
Souki met with
gambling reps

Both Cayetano and Souki say
the meeting wasn't planned

By Mike Yuen
Star-Bulletin

When Gov. Ben Cayetano, Senate President Norman Mizuguchi and House Speaker Joe Souki were in San Francisco in early February, they met with gambling representatives.

In separate interviews yesterday, Cayetano and Souki (D, Wailuku) said the meeting was not planned.

"They heard we were going to be in town," Cayetano said. "They took the opportunity to basically brief us. I told 'em that I'm opposed to casino gambling."

Souki said there was a short meeting in an office to discuss a proposal. "Obviously, we didn't think it was worthwhile," Souki said.

Cayetano and Souki declined to reveal the substance of the talks or to identify the gambling interests involved.

"It doesn't matter who the group is. It can be any one," Souki said.

Mizuguchi (D, Aiea), whose proposal for shipboard gaming was torpedoed in the House several years ago, declined to answer questions regarding the meeting with gambling representatives.

Hawaii and Utah are the only states that have not legalized gaming.

Cayetano and Souki stressed that the primary purpose of the trip to San Francisco was to meet with representatives of two of the nation's top bond-rating firms, Moody's Investor Service and Standard & Poor's, to brief them on economic revitalization initiatives proposed by a special task force.

Souki said gambling is not a legislative priority.

"Obviously, it hasn't been successful in the past. It's still not," Souki added. "Hawaii is not ready for gaming."

Cayetano, in a subsequent telephone interview that he initiated, stressed that it is not unusual for gambling interests to lobby him.

Since he's been governor, he's had about six meetings with representatives of major gambling interests -- such as Harrah's and Bally -- who have come to Hawaii, Cayetano said.