Administration changes plans for GovGuam reorganization

by Sabrina Salas Matanane, KUAM News
Monday, May 30, 2005

There's been a lot of talk about government reorganization over the past several years, not only during the Camacho Administration but also during the term of former governor Carl Gutierrez. We bring you up to speed on changing the face of government, having learned that the front office has switched plans yet again.

Since the beginning of his terms the Governor has delivered his sermon about reorganization, preaching about twelve super agencies with one director for each. He attempted to do this in his Fiscal Year 2005 budget proposal that was quickly shot down, as Attorney General Douglas Moylan ruled he couldn't do that. And then the task of reorganization was passed onto Lieutenant Governor Kaleo Moylan, who completed the task and handed the plans back to the Chief Executive.

Since then, the Governor said he would be handing the plans for changing the face of the Government of Guam by giving it to the Guam Legislature bill by bill. Two bills were submitted in the 27th Legislature, but died. To date, nothing's been offered up to reorganize.

Instead, as Tony Lamorena, spokesperson for the Governor said, "The Governor's reorganization plan originally had committees working on separate pieces of legislation; what we've decided to do is make it an all inclusive legislation with reorganization of the Government of Guam into one piece of legislation."

It was only about a month and a half ago that Lamorena told KUAM News Governor Camacho planned to introduce at least four reorganization bills that would specifically address functional realignment for Guam's housing, labor, public safety, and transportation concerns. Lamorena then said in April the Administration was hopeful the Legislature would be able to incorporate the plan into the upcoming 2006 budget, but apparently that's been scrapped as the Administration is again taking a new approach at reorganization.

"The reason we reevaluated this one," he explained, "it would make it easier for the senators to incorporate various functions than rather separate pieces of legislation that could conflict with each other."

According to Lamorena the Administration plans to submit it's super reorganization bill to lawmakers within two to three months, this falls way beyond the target deadline set by Senator Eddie Baza Calvo (R) for mid-June to complete a budget for next fiscal year. The Governor's spokesman says if there is an impact on the budget, the impact will be positive, and that under the Governor's reorganization plan it would cost less to run the government because it's about incorporation and not duplication of government services.

The Administration is also keeping a close eye on Bill 14 (The Government Priorities Act of 2005). The legislation, authored by Senator Robert Klitzkie (R), allows reorganization through executive order from the Governor with legislative approval.

Copyright © 2000-2005 by Pacific Telestations, Inc.

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