AS one of the intervenors in the COLA lawsuit, this is my personal stand: Just like in other controversial issues I involved myself into, I always consider the common good.
I personally acknowledge that the COLA is a law, but the amount wasn’t specified. It was separately computed by GovGuam and retirees’ representatives only. There was no public input.
The following are disturbing:
* Why a poor retiree will receive only $4,000 while rich retirees receiving annual incomes of $100,000 upward will receive allowances of $100,000 to $163,000? (Please see the list of recipients via Internet). Aren’t the poor and the rich eating the same food? Why this great disparity? Before, it’s the same amount for each. Why are the rich allocated more allowances?
Are there prejudices caused by vested interests that greatly favored the rich over the poor? Musn’t the law on conflict of interest prevail? Supreme Court Justices Philip Carbullido and Robert Torres have already expressed recently their positions that this law on conflict of interest must be upheld. Can any judge, including the judge who presided this COLA case, disregard the lawful examples set by the higher magistrates?
* The COLA index proposed earlier by the governor was 2 percent. Federal index is between 1.5 percent and 2 percent. How come that this one was computed up to 87 percent? This is 43 times more!
* The governor submitted alternative cost index but remained sealed. Why?
If the Retirement Fund shoulders this $123 million, then it’s none of my business to intervene. But the government has no money to pay. However, if it will come from the General Fund or loan, don’t I have the right to intervene because all our children, grandchildren and our basic rights will be adversely affected? Why? Because Guamanians will be indebted by $770 each which will be paid through 30 years. At the end, each of us should have paid almost $2,000. This will manifest through increases in GRTs, government fees, water, power, all other utilities, consumer to this same loan goods, etc. Guam’s economy will suffer too because tourists will instead go to less expensive destinations.
Why must everyone shoulder this $123 million loan or part of it to be given as gifts to the richer 2 percent of the population? Is this fair?
Or the reverse: How will this 2 percent feel, if they share payment distributed to the richer 98 percent of the population only? Won’t they complain?
The bottom line: The golden rule.
Aren’t our children and grandchildren’s welfare and future worth fighting for?

PAT DUQUE
Dededo, Guam