Governor protects port from delays in modernization projects
A release from the Governor’s Office  – Contact Phillip Leon Guerrero at 929-7467 or phillip.leonguerrero@guam.gov

“The Port Authority is in the middle of its most important time in history.  Millions of dollars are on the line with these modernization projects–the first improvements since the military turned over the port to our people in decades.  Bill 283-32 was inorganic, and micromanaged the autonomous power of the Port Authority of Guam. It was a blatant infringement on the management of the Board of Directors. The Legislative majority has stood in the way of progress too many times, and I won’t jeopardize the great strides to upgrade the Port’s facilities by allowing the Legislature to interfere illegally with the process.  I have full confidence the port’s management is moving in the right direction.” — Governor Eddie Baza Calvo
 
Governor denies legislative micromanagement with veto                                          
Governor Eddie Baza Calvo vetoed an inorganic bill that micromanages the Port’s modernization plans and threatens to delay millions of dollars of needed improvements.
 
The measure reorders the list of projects that will improve the port’s aging infrastructure without approval from the Port’s management or governing board.  The bill also mandates the use of the autonomous body’s revenue without any approval or concurrence of its management or board.
 
This type of micromanagement is inorganic and unfounded.  In the measure itself, author Sen. Tom Ada admits the port’s current modernization plan “reasonably projects cargo handling demand under three possible growth scenarios…” and that the legislature finds the plan “adequately outlines facility improvement and sustainability measures needed to prepare for the range of cargo volumes and growth in each of the identified scenarios.”
 
Calvo cites inorganic nature of bill                                                                                
This overreaching by the legislature is the reason Governor Calvo did not sign the bill into law.  In his veto message, the Governor said, “Bill 283-32 violates the Organic Act of Guam and encroaches upon the autonomous power granted to the Port’s Board of Directors to control and manage its facilities.”
 
He also goes on to say that Port revenue belongs to the Port, not the general fund, and therefore, is not subject to the Legislature’s control.
 
 

End of Release

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