Hafa adai!
To listen to the audio file of Governor Calvo’s Weekly Address, please click here. You can also watch the address by clicking here, or visit the Governor’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/
TEXT: Simple text of the address follows the image of the release below for easy reference.
Hafa adai, my fellow Guamanians…
We’re at the halfway mark of our first term. Ray and I are keeping our promises. We are fighting poverty, improving services in your government, and building for a sustainable future for this island.
Now that it’s 2013, I look back and wonder where 2012 went. There were so many things that happened last year. Ribbon cutting after groundbreaking after press conference – it was a whirlwind to say the least, but rewarding nonetheless.
We worked tirelessly to bring the government back into stable waters after a storm of financial unsteadiness. We’ve paid out tax refunds. We also started paying old bills like the meritorious bonuses to outstanding employees; an unfunded mandate from 1991. It was with a clear directive to save, and pay past-due obligations that we are setting the tone for proper cash management throughout your government.
More than anything, we remain open and transparent with you. We’ve gone out into the villages to initiate a dialogue about education, cutting costs, and generating revenue. We met you, and you voiced your frustrations about a government that forgot who they were serving. We haven’t forgotten that we’re here to serve you.
It hasn’t been an easy road. The grumbling of naysayers still manage to grab some attention over the hard work we’ve put into stabilizing our government and finding solid ground. That only emboldens us to work even harder.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen tremendous outreach from our colleagues at the Legislature. Whether it was stopping by for coffee and a discussion, or having lunch to talk about our concerns and frustrations, it’s led to a healthy conversation – one that has been missing and one that is necessary.
We’re working to build an even stronger relationship with our voice in Washington, D.C., Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo. I attended her investiture ceremony at the Latte of Freedom last week, and again committed my support for her efforts. I look forward to working with her to bring issues on Guam to the forefront of the agenda in D.C.
Our conversations in the spirit of bipartisanship will enhance our service for you who voted us into office. We’re all working for the same thing – to make our island better than it already is for everyone. Today marks my third State of the Island address. It’s been a tradition to address the island once a year to talk of the progress we’ve made, the set backs we’ve seen, face the issues we’re dealing with, and demonstrate how we will move forward.
I invite you to join me this evening at 6:30 p.m. at the Guam Legislature for the State of the Island address. If you can’t make it, that’s okay, you can watch on KUAM TV8 and Fox6 for a live telecast.