Auntie Charo's Soapbox

"Lamorena says GovGuam staffers too important to withhold increments "
Is the title of Sabrina Matanane's report on this evening's news about the increment the Chamber of Commerce wants delayed for obvious reasons(if your head has been under some rock....the government is still in 'red' mode....as in 'broke') but Rolly Polly Olliemorena says and I quote(you can go to KUAM's site and read the whole article that will work better than Ipecac(sp-haven't had to use it since I've discovered that two fingers work just as well!)"The employees are the heart and soul [of the public sector], they're the ones who get the work done and if anything, they're a priority," said Lamorena. "You cannot accomplish the mission of an organization if you're employees are not taken care of."
I gag as I write this. Here we are, govGuam vendors wait years to be paid for merchandise/supplies, Dr. Berg hasn't been paid for services for 18 months as have other doctors who have worked for the hospital, other hospital vendors........private companies drive the taxes that pay the salaries for these hearts and souls that are the priority of the governor. It is wonderful to think that these people need increments and yes, I'm sure that these people are all deserving of the increments but on the other hand, are those people who have waited years for their tax refunds and retirement funds not a priority as well? How many people have died recently who have not been paid their tax refund, or had not retired because he or she couldn't because there was no fund to retire from.
I cannot imagine that the government that holds a 5 hour plus oversight hearing on the hospital that results in facts that it will need more than $8+ million dollars before the end of this fiscal year(and this doesn't include the pay off of retirement fees) can honestly look itself into any t.v. camera/or mirror and say that the poor hearts and soul employees of this government need increments more than the entire government needs the money it's going to get to use same for the operation of the government until such time as the economy actually gets better.
After those that need to retire can retire, those that need to get paid(vendors)get paid, those that need to get paid their overtime get their overtime pay, those that deserve their EITC, get their EITC, those that are waiting for their tax refunds(for all the years) get their tax refunds(for all the years) and when DOE has sufficient funds to operate, GFD, GPD, and GMH have enough funds to operate without having to invoke emergency orders every other month, then we can consider govGuam increments, until then, we should watch carefully how we spend the peoples money.