Welcome to the Office of the Governor of Guam

August 27, 2010

Governor Felix P. Camacho sent the island’s comments on the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to the Department of the Navy today. The comments include technical and policy concerns by local government agencies as well as individuals from the community, all of which the governor has asked be added to the official comment record for review and consideration prior to release of the Record of Decision (ROD).

The governor’s letter also outlined several ongoing concerns with the military buildup, many of which were also included in his response letter to the draft EIS. “While the number of comments regarding the FEIS pales in comparison to the thousands of responses received during the draft EIS process, please make no mistake by believing that our people have suddenly embraced this plan with just a few issues of concern requiring attention,” said Gov. Camacho.

The governor stated that the Department of the Navy must address these critical concerns. “Moreover, these additional comments were submitted because it is believed that many of the issues raised during the draft EIS process were not properly addressed or were simply ignored,” said the governor.

Gov. Camacho went on to reiterate that the military buildup must not require any additional land outside of what has been proposed since 2006. “This is generally supported by our people. But recent discussions have indicated a change in this policy which is not compatible with our goal of having the Guahan Military Buildup Plan benefit those inside and outside the fence,” said the governor.

Governor Camacho closed his letter by saying, “The people of Guahan understand the security needs of our nation, but those needs must be balanced with Guahan’s abiding responsibility to preserve our culture, protect our environment, and foster a better life for Guahan’s future generations.”

 

August 26, 2010
 
Governor Felix P. Camacho signed into law yesterday two pieces of legislation including Bill No. 413-30, now Public Law 30-182, regarding the financing and construction for the expansion of Okkodo High School.

The legislation allows the government of Guahan to enter into a lease-back agreement with a chosen contractor who, through the use of Qualified School Construction Bonds, will be responsible for the long-term expansion and improvement of facilities for Okkodo High School.

“I am very excited about the proposed expansion which would include the construction of more classrooms, additional restrooms, solar panels, a culinary arts building, a track and field facility, and other projects needed to accommodate the expected increase in the student population,” said Governor Camacho. “This law will help alleviate classroom congestion for the students of northern Guahan.”

Additionally, Bill 424-30 was signed into Public Law 30-183. The new law restructures the Guam Education Board from a policy to a governing board. Public Law 30-183 further allows the Governor to appoint three board members with the remaining six to be elected by the voters. Other amendments contained within the new law address the removal of board members by consensus of other board members and not by referendum, as was previously the case.

Governor Camacho vetoed Bill 418-30 , which was intended to amend §85.10, 85.14, and 85.26 of Chapter 85, Title 9 Guam Code Annotated, relative to the composition of members to the Territorial Parole Board.

“Unfortunately, Bill No. 418-30 in its current form does not limit disclosure if the information is confidential information or if there are safety considerations.  A major concern is the well-being and safety of the victims and those who speak out against a person seeking parole.  Attendees should also be screened for potential security or safety concerns. Board members will not be willing to risk their lives and continue as members if they are subjected to confrontation as the legislation states,” said Governor Camacho.

August 25, 2010
 
On Tuesday, August 24th, the Series 2010 JFK Certificates of Participation (COPs) were priced in an effort to take advantage of favorable market conditions.  The pricing, which was originally scheduled to take place on either August 25th or August 26th, was accelerated due to a very strong bond market that created a window of opportunity.

The $65.7 million JFK COP offering, which was a non-investment grade credit, generated much wider investor demand than originally anticipated, with several first time Guam investors participating in the JFK COP transaction.  The marketing efforts of the JFK finance team included several extensive conversations with investors over the last few days, which assisted in generating broadened investor participation.  Ultimately, approximately 50 investors participated in the offering, which was close to the number of investors secured for the Government’s investment grade Section 30 offering sold last year.

The JFK COPs were heavily oversubscribed in all maturities offered, with over $810 million in orders placed.  In particular, the 2040 term bond was oversubscribed by as much as 14.5 times the available amount of COPs in that specific maturity. The final aggregate yield for the COPs was 6.88%, well below the maximum rate cap of 8.50%.

The estimated annual Base Rental Payments for the JFK offering, when combined with Additional Rental Payments, totals approximately $6.7 million, which is below the $6.9 million annual cap.

 

 

Governor’s Office and village mayors continue to collect public comments
 
August 23, 2010

The Office of the Governor, in coordination with the Mayors' Council of Guam, will continue to collect public comments on the Department of the Navy's Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) by close of business tomorrow, August 24, 2010. Comment sheets with a suggested format are available at each mayoral office for residents to pick up and return by this deadline.

Residents are encouraged to submit comments focusing on specific areas and issues contained in the FEIS.  They may also choose to drop off comments to their village mayor using their preferred format, or may consider sending their comments directly to the Governor’s Office via e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

All comments will be transmitted to the Department of the Navy’s Joint Guam Program Office in Washington, D.C. as part of the Governor’s official response regarding the FEIS.

Information Sheet (Word document)

Comment Sheet (Word Doceument)