The following is a news from the Office of Senator Frank Blas, Jr.
Bill 91-36 was introduced by Senators Frank Blas Jr. & Tony Ada with the intent that all government resources during an island-wide state of emergency are prioritized to support the emergency. With businesses operating under COVID-19 restrictions, our tourism source markets are still unsure of when travelers will start traveling. The federal stimulus is still making its way into our economy, and our government revenue still continues to decline. “Yet, during this same time , the executive branch of the government of Guam not only gave pay raises to certain staff, but even created new job positions with exuberant salaries tied to the respective positions,” said Senator Blas.
“With tourism not expected to rebound for a few years, thousands are still furloughed or laid off, and the government coffers are expected to decline this fiscal year. The administration should be focused on prioritizing all government financial and human resources to fight this virus and get businesses open and people back to work,” said Senator Tony Ada.
The bill restricts any new hires that are non-essential and freezes all pay raises while our island is in a state of emergency.
“We don’t rebuild an economy by incurring non-essential expenses at a time our government is relying on handouts from the federal government to operate. We rebuild our economy, our community, and our island by being frugal and avoiding unnecessary expenses and hiring. When we still have thousands in line for food and businesses struggling, we must ensure we’re doing enough to help businesses rebound .” said Senator Frank Blas Jr.
