IN the Marianas Variety – Guam Edition, Feb. 13, a title read, “Palacios rescues another unfunded mandate.” Sen. Palacios says, “This memorial for Sen. Santos was provided by Public Law 27-44 but the law does not have a provision for appropriation so the parks and recreation department has been unable to fulfill the mandate!” The article said he first introduced the appropriations bill for the Angel Santos Park in the 28th Legislature but the legislation though publicly heard, was KILLED (my emphasis) in Sen. Eddie Calvo’s committee, on recommendation of David Tydingco, then president of the Guam Hotel and Restaurant Association.
Sen. Palacios’s Bill 48 proposes that the appropriation for the memorial project be taken out of FY 2008 Tourist Attraction Fund. The bill also authorizes the parks department to accept donation to raise funds for the project. A very worthwhile one, I might add.
To take a step back, the late Sen. Angel Santos figured out something that I believe most people have not figured out yet which is that the “enemy is within.” There are some local folks who impede the progress and welfare of the most other folk, not some foreign force. Admittedly, they, the elite, have used (or I prefer mastered) the American systems and processes to strengthen their chokehold of the wealth and power on this island. It is not the “lack of natives” in the government that is the problem. Look around. There are lots of natives in the GFD, DOC, GPD and other governmental entities. Both rank-and-file and managerial leading all the way to the top in Felix P. Camacho. And if there are outstanding issues such as contamination and war reparations, it is only the U.S. government that you will have a chance in “reasoning with.” Try reasoning with the French (ask the South Pacific Islanders) or the Chinese (ask the Taiwanese) or the Russians (ask the Japanese). (You can reason too with nations such as India but it is not in our proximity.)
WHO is “killing” Chamorros and others, slowly through inaction and conflicts of interests? NATIVES!

MATT PHILIPS
Mangilao, Guam