By Nancy I. Maanao
The University of Guam didn't just give pay raises to a few people during the public health emergency and while classes were closed. UOG, which has so far escaped legislative scrutiny and accountability, handed out pay raises - twice - to a score of its highest-paid employees.
Thus far, Kandit has uncovered the five-digit pay raises given to Jonas Macapinlac, Peter Barcinas, and Remedios Crisostomo. You, the taxpayer, now pay these managers $105,129, $107,744, and $99,792, respectively. All of them now are paid more than the governor and lieutenant governor, most of their cabinet, and the majority of professionals in public education, health care, and law enforcement.
Rachel Field Cubacub, an associate budget and administrative process officer at UOG, got a pay raise on January 7, 2020 from $68,291 to $70,340 a year. Eleven months later, she got a second pay raise to $82,072, and was made interim comptroller of the university.
According to UOG's policies, its president can hire people into interim positions without going through the competitive merit-based hiring process.
"Ms. Cubacub will hold this position until the University hires a permanent Comptroller," the pay raise document states. "Entitled to all fringe benefits."
The second and larger pay raise was approved within a 24 hour period by UOG's acting human resources officer Joseph Gumataotao, its finance chief Randy Wiegand, and president Thomas Krise.
That's why they have a Big Smile 😀