By Lee Webber
While certainly not a Chamorro I am a Guamanian having lived and worked on Guam since 1968. I have a Chamorro wife and have raised my family here, it is my home.
Since my arrival it has become more and more obvious to me that local residents have become increasingly more compliant with the wishes of local politicians and how they have chosen to manage the government of Guam and its assets (that really belong to the people who voted them into office).
This may well be the result of a combination of apathy on the part of citizens and the failure of real public journalism in our community (the “watchdog” on government) and the rise of internet social networks and the ability of nearly anyone to claim they are a journalist.
It may also be the result of slick, but subtle manipulation of language many years ago by calling the Governor Maga Lahi and Lt. Governor Segundo Maga Lahi when they are really nothing more than elected officials rather than the equivalent of former kings or omnipotent leaders.
Many years ago local politicians and citizens were far more concerned with public education, public health and public safety (original key operative areas for government) as well as the structures in which they were operated and housed.
The press and public were far more vocal about what they thought of the actions of elected officials and there were actually times when movements were created to recall elected officials, including a sitting governor.
Those times of public responsibility appear to be gone!
Citizens simply appear not to care what elected officials do so long as those same officials continue to dribble poultry amounts of citizen tax dollars back into the pockets of voters by vote pandering.
Residents have been bought off with their own tax dollars by what I would consider to be shrewd and manipulative elected officials and their cronies who have nuzzled up to that big sow called the government of Guam.
This has been done and continues to be done by using public tax dollars (YOUR MONEY) to buy your silence and then keeping citizens hostage to those elected into office.
Things such as ridiculous pay increases within the government at levels that make little or no real sense to anyone with even a lick of business sense.
Or, things such as $100 benefits for their power bills and other such rebates when at the same time the public hospital and public schools are crumbling due to lousy maintenance and extremely weak, but politically compliant, management that has been hired and put into and remain in place by the same elected officials.
You really have to ask yourself, how people can be bought off so cheaply and easily through vote pandering that they are willing to sacrifice their public health care, safety and the education of their children with a few dollars more?
These efforts by elected and appointed officials to maintain their power base and control positions border on what could and likely would have been considered borderline criminal behavior some 50 years ago but today is apparently being ignored by the electorate.
Things such as the extremely obvious mold issues at the Guam Memorial Hospital and the potential for it to cause significant future harm to patients, babies and their mothers and staff.
Or the ridiculous amount of time that has passed since the first discussions were initiated for the destruction and rebuilding of Simon Sanchez High School in Yigo (not to mention the horrible conditions and mold problems in other schools around the island).
Or what about the numerous empty public structures and empty land scattered around the island while at the same time the governor attempts to use federal funds to feather one of her pet projects?
Does government over-reach ring a bell to you?
It is time to take back the reins of government and place them squarely in the hands of their owners, the voters and taxpayers of Guam.
Let’s make Guam Great Again!
Esta.
Lee P. Webber is a businessman and civic advocate, the former publisher of the Pacific Daily News, a former president and publisher of the Honolulu Advertiser, and a former director of operations for USA Today International/Asia
