Micronesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004

Reviews of the Federated States of tion (PDN, 24 May 2004). A program Micronesia, , the Marshall of injecting fungicide and burning Islands, and are not included infected trees is expected to prevent in this issue. the decimation that the pugua trees suffered on Saipan a few years ago. On the positive side, mealybug- The many ongoing issues and prob- infested papaya trees were declared lems during the year under review in August 2003 to be recovering well included recovery from natural disas- (PDN, 5 Aug 2003). And in the US ter, preservation of culture, allega- legislature, work continues on a bill tions of government corruption, that would create a committee dedi- budget cuts, the struggle to lead the cated to controlling the island’s per- economy onto a healthier path, and vasive, destructive brown tree snake escalating youth violence. The people population. of Guam showed their resilience, forg- The fate of the island’s free-ranging ing ahead, helping those on and off carabao, which the US Navy regarded island, and celebrating the successes as problematic, was especially contro- of community members. versial this year. Islanders questioned In December 2003, a year after the navy’s decision to cull the carabao typhoon Pongsona, millions of dollars herds and wondered if they should of repairs had yet to be done. Hun- step up efforts to have Chamorros dreds of individuals on island still adopt the culturally significant ani- lacked power and water. There were mals instead. Hundreds are said to be other infrastructural woes as well, on the carabao adoption waiting list. many of which were long-standing. Inserted in the debate is the continu- New construction, storm activity, and ing dialogue concerning the US mili- unchecked vegetation growth con- tary’s seeming insensitivity toward tributed to the flooding of roads, local concerns. bridges, and properties (PDN, 17 May In other cultural news, August 2004). Despite the abundance of 2003 saw hundreds of community water in some locales, other parts members assisting Guam’s Palauan of the island, especially in the south, Association to raise money for a new suffered another year of continuous abai (the Guam version of the Palauan water supply outages. term bai) meetinghouse. The structure Guam’s cultural crops and wildlife will eventually be a “multicultural took some hits. As of May 2004, one- center for the Pacific” (PDN, 24 Aug fourth of the island’s betel nut trees, 2003). In early 2004, the Micronesian which produce treasured pugua (betel Community Outreach Program held nut), were affected by a fungal infec- its first meeting. The program is

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political reviews • micronesia 161 designed to help migrants from other Chamorro, all the time” and provides parts of Micronesia adjust to life on a selection of over 2,000 Chamorro Guam. The program also works to songs (PDN, 17 July 2003). dispel the negative stereotypes of Land issues are also close to Cha- Micronesians held by many on Guam morro hearts. Land that was taken or (PDN, 27 March 2004). In his regular otherwise obtained by the US govern- contributions to the Pacific Daily ment some sixty years ago, ostensibly News, self-described second-genera- to strengthen the US military’s strate- tion Guam Filipino Norman Analista gic position in the East Asian–Pacific covered topics ranging from taking region after World War II, continues local pride in Pinoy culture to the to be gradually returned to Guam- benefits of establishing a Filipino Fed- Chamorro families. More than 143 eral Credit Union. Also speaking to parcels of land were returned in 2003, and for Guam’s sizable Filipino com- while at least 100 more parcels were munity, “local Filipino celebrity and said to be slated for future return icon” Prospero “Popoy” Zamora is (PDN, 23 Dec 2003). once again hosting a show on Guam’s Amidst these cultural victories, public television channel (PDN, 27 Guam lost several proponents of July 2003). Chamorro rights, culture, and lan- The need to promote and preserve guage during the year. The death of the Chamorro language was discussed Angel Santos on 6 July 2003 domi- in the media throughout the year. nated the island newspaper’s front Some worry about the deterioration pages for many days. Just forty-four of the Chamorro language and the years old, Santos was known as “an consequences thereof. Sagan Fin’nå’ impassioned and eloquent political Guen Fino’ Chamoru Day Care, and Chamorro rights activist” (PDN, which conducts its daily activities 7 July 2003). The same month, the solely in Chamorro, was featured in media announced that Donald Top- the media (PDN, 28 March 2004). The ping, respected throughout Guam’s University of Guam (uog) sponsored community for his research and its first Fino’ Chamoru Na Kompiti- publications created to help people sion (Chamorro Language Competi- better understand, preserve, and tion), with participants from both teach Chamorro, passed away as Guam and Northern Mariana schools. well (PDN, 5 July 2003). Segundo uog language professors developed Blas, the Saipan born and raised and produced an instructional Accel- master carver who was an important erated Learning method Chamorro force in passing on traditional text and cd set. Others wrote to the Chamorro skills, died on 27 April newspaper to suggest increasing the 2004. number of Chamorro-language public On the political front, there was signs and defended the reinstatement almost constant discussion of elected of proper Chamorro place, village, or leaders’ efficacy and the general state other names. And for everyday listen- of the island. Officials passed over ing, radio station kish 102.9 began eighty laws this year dealing with operations in late June 2003; it is “all issues such as reorganizing the island’s 162 the contemporary pacific • 17:1 (2005) judiciary, establishing a firefighter misconduct within government agen- reserve program, and providing fund- cies, indictments and prosecutions did ing for construction and repair of not keep pace with her findings. As a schools and health-care facilities result she predicted that the situation (27th Guam Legislature 2003–2004). regarding the mishandling of govern- While many island constituents are ment funds is not likely to change appreciative of the support for com- anytime soon (PDN, 12 May 2004). In munity causes provided by some lead- response to this sort of concern, the ers, others have expressed disappoint- Government of Guam (GovGuam) ment and are dispirited and angry continued its efforts to privatize the about party politics and inadequate Guam Telephone Authority (said to island conditions. Some issues that be the only US phone agency still run have featured in political campaigns by a local government), the Guam for years or perhaps decades—from Waterworks Authority, management the need to close the island dump, to of the Port Authority of Guam, and the dire need of fundamental supplies certain services within the island’s for public school students, to the need Department of Education and the to improve island infrastructure— Guam Memorial Hospital (PDN, 20 have yet to be satisfactorily resolved. Dec 2003). As has become the pattern, many During his two years in office, public figures decried corruption Governor Felix Camacho’s strong among island leaders, and approval stances have had mixed receptions. ratings for elected officials decreased He has pushed for a bond to keep the as their terms progressed (PDN, 21 GovGuam running in the face of a Dec 2003). Some constituents charged cash shortage (approved by legislators that island leaders had not kept their but currently blocked by the island’s campaign promises, had not accom- attorney general), and advocated plished anything, and were generally reorganizing (meant to translate into embarrassing. Other people have streamlining) the current forty-eight faulted the political complacency and island government agencies into ten. complicity of community members. This year Pacific Daily News gave Groups such as the Committee to Get Camacho “kudos” when he called Guam Working, made up largely of for the resignations of government business leaders, also entered the fray, employees alleged to have misused running costly and ardent campaigns government credit cards. On the other for and against particular issues and hand, others have had to publicly ask individuals. the governor to appoint members to Further undermining the public’s certain supervisory boards that still trust, Guam’s Office of the Public lacked sufficient numbers to operate. Auditor reported in mid-2004 that Camacho has also been scrutinized some $20 million of the Government for appointing or nominating family of Guam’s monies may have been members to important positions. He wasted or abused. Although Public nominated his brother-in-law, attor- Auditor Doris Flores Brooks helped ney Robert J Torres, to serve as a raise public awareness of potential justice of the Supreme Court of political reviews • micronesia 163

Guam, and he appointed a cousin his efforts aimed at keeping adminis- to serve as deputy director of the trators from using the system to Guam Department of Youth Affairs. benefit themselves rather than the The people of Guam were espe- public (PDN, 28 May 2004). cially challenged this year by disputes There were several high-profile between public figures. Many felt that indictments this year. Former Guam such disputes wasted time and demor- Airport Executive Manager Gerald alized the public. Substantial differ- Yingling was indicted for charging ences of opinion between Governor thousands of dollars worth of per- Camacho and Lieutenant Governor sonal expenses to a government credit Kaleo Moylan became widely known card. Former Guam Power Authority in early 2004. They differed on the General Manager Thelma “T” Ann degree to which the lieutenant gover- Perez was charged with authorizing nor’s office can operate in its own private streetlights to be paid for with right and independent of the gover- government funds. Yingling, former nor’s authority. Relations between the Governor Carl Gutierrez, and Gutier- two leaders deteriorated to the extent rez’s former Chief of Staff Gil Shino- that a contingent of fellow Republi- hara were each accused of participat- cans and Guam’s Superior Court were ing in the theft of government called in to mediate. The Superior property during the construction of Court stated that the governor held Gutierrez’s personal ranch in Urunao authority over all executive branch (see PDN trial articles archived at employees, including those under the ). the legislature to amend Guam law in Although the attorney general’s order to provide the lieutenant gov- office increased the number of crim- ernor greater autonomy. As of June inal cases filed and received the 2004, the dispute had not been fully “thumbs up” from many in the resolved. community, others feel Moylan is Guam’s first elected attorney gen- too combative and that the office’s eral, Douglas Moylan, received even conviction rates are low (PDN, 28 more media attention during the year. April 2004). There have also been He was in the spotlight because of a accusations that Moylan expected lengthy list of criminal indictments (up preferential treatment and wanted to 17 percent from the previous year), make special, self-serving deals (PDN, challenges to governmental authority 6 Dec 2003). Claims of emotional and particular laws, lawsuits against and physical abuse by both Moylan government agencies and private busi- and his estranged wife against each nesses, and confrontations with peo- other were also publicly aired during ple in the community. Moylan, whose the year. logo when running for office in 2002 There was some relief for Guam’s was a pair of gloves, declared 31,000 students during the year. that his office was “at war.” He stated School facilities improved somewhat, that others were working to “disarm” and the Liberation Organizational 164 the contemporary pacific • 17:1 (2005)

Committee 2003 contributed monies economy included rising power, gaso- for textbooks. Nevertheless, the line, and other costs; loss of Gov- school system still experienced short- Guam revenue due to federal and ages and difficult conditions. Scarcity local tax cuts; worry about the of buses caused students to wait for island’s job market; and budget cuts transport, sometimes for hours. Lack for many GovGuam agencies. Some of working air conditioners resulted factors served to boost the economy in shortened instructional days. Nine and counter these woes. Asia’s econ- schools operated without nurses on omy was recovering, and visitor campus. Schools lacked a wide variety arrivals increased. The number of of supplies. The Department of Edu- jobs rose. Business ventures (includ- cation ended the school year still ing two movies filmed on island) owing millions of dollars to the infused money into Guam. Millions Guam Retirement Fund and the of typhoon-recovery and state-relief- Guam Power Authority. fund dollars were pumped into the Other education-related challenges island. GovGuam’s cash deficit included the widespread introduction decreased by $70 million, down to of Direct Instruction (a scripted read- $209 million (PDN, 4 Feb 2004). ing program that dominates the GovGuam’s six-month-long practice instructional day); charges that the of whittling the workweek to thirty- director of education appointed in fall two hours was lifted. Compact- 2003 treated school administrators impact payments (provided by the and teachers belligerently; and public US federal government to jurisdic- airing of major differences among the tions heavily impacted by Microne- new Board of Education, Department sian compact agreements with the of Education, and the Guam Federa- United States) were increased to a tion of Teachers. Such conditions may record high of $14 million annually. be driving a substantial number of Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Z teachers off-island and away from Bordallo negotiated a debt-reconcilia- teacher-training programs. Tired of tion bill through the US Congress that Guam’s public school conditions, par- authorizes the president to approve ents and student and alumni volun- debt relief of $157 million owed to teers increased their efforts to repair federal agencies by GovGuam (meant and maintain the schools and to raise to serve as compensation for years of funds. Despite setbacks, many of insufficient federal compact-impact Guam’s students continued to shine. aid to Guam). The much protested A student from the Academy of Our 50 percent increase in the gross Lady of Guam was the recipient of a receipts tax, implemented in 2003, 2004 Presidential Scholars award, was reversed in 2004 (some hinted and a University of Guam senior was that this transpired just in time to one of eighty students nationwide please voters before the election). US awarded a Harry S Truman Scholar- military presence grew and may con- ship (PDN, 6 May, 30 March 2004). tinue to do so, pumping dollars into Guam’s people faced some tough the economy. financial situations. Stresses to the Not all activities that bring in political reviews • micronesia 165 dollars are necessarily desirable. The increased military presence on the issue of legalized gambling entered island comes with some heavy price public debate and is slated for a pub- tags. lic vote in Guam’s November elec- Much time and energy was spent tions (see to view the the harsh conditions of World War II, proposed 2004 gaming initiative). whether during the three-year Japa- Proponents argue that gambling has nese occupation or in serving the peo- the potential to increase the number ple of Guam and the US military in of jobs by thousands while netting other ways. GovGuam agencies and millions of dollars in revenue. Others other groups, such as uog Chamorro counter that the industry will only language students, sponsored oral enrich a few and introduce a variety history workshops, gathered and of undesirable effects. presented oral histories in a variety Not only does Guam grapple with of venues, located significant World internal political relationships, but War II sites, coordinated special com- there is also still a debate about its memorative events, and initiated relationship with the US military. memorials to wartime experiences. Many struggle to come to terms with The creation of a five-member the years that the US Navy governed Guam War Claims Review Commis- Guam as a colony and stripped land sion in September 2003 was particu- from Guam’s people. At the same larly significant. The commission was time, Chamorros have established a given the task of determining whether reputation for being loyal US citizens Guam Chamorros had received repa- who have served and sacrificed for rations for their wartime sufferings US military causes again and again. equivalent to those received by US cit- This may partly explain why more izens. More than 8,300 on-island and recent news about US activities in off-island Chamorros filled out ques- Iraq did not often make headlines, tionnaires surveying World War II while news concerning the deploy- atrocities (PDN, 12 May 2004). The ment, return, and death of local commission’s June 2004 report to the soldiers received prominent media Bush administration and US Congress attention. Guam families, like other found that Guam-Chamorro war US families, wait for their soldiers to reparations had not been on par with return after their deployment, often those paid to US citizen war victims, for eighteen months. and it made several specific recom- The increased military presence mendations to remedy the situation was much discussed. Not only has (PDN, 12 May 2004). However, the the number of military personnel recommended compensation still increased on Guam, but there has also appeared inadequate to some for been an increase in the money allo- several reasons. It is difficult if not cated to beef up the island’s homeland impossible to fully compensate for security and to add b-52 bombers, the loss of family members or for submarines, and other military accou- personal pain and suffering. Many terments. But many also feel that the also noted the relative lack of official 166 the contemporary pacific • 17:1 (2005) attention to World War II commemo- males, 24 and 29, were connected rative events in the Pacific, compared with a drive-by shooting that injured to those in Europe. two military men. According to child Though not much discussed, psychologist Kirk Bellis, crime com- activist groups were busy this year. mitted by island youth has become A Chamorro Information Activist more intense, and more is likely to bimonthly e-zine and forum board come (pers comm, July 2004). appeared, designed to promote alter- Amidst all of this suffering and native “ways and ideas of thinking” tragedy, the community once again about Guam issues, to promote the demonstrated its charitable nature Chamorro way of life, and to work toward those in need. Efforts included toward the island’s decolonization fund-raisers for Jonathan “Jon Jon” (). In June 2004, an acute lymphocytic leukemia and in Independence Task Force for Guam need of a bone marrow transplant; (e-mail ) money and medicine for Chuuk sent a letter to the United Nation’s islanders fighting a flu epidemic; Decolonization Committee and peti- disaster recovery support for typhoon- tioned the UN Office of the High ravaged South Korea; food, water, Commissioner for Human Rights and basic necessities to the Federated “to help us stop the violations against States of Micronesia after it too our human rights by the United States endured extensive typhoon damage; of America (US).” and donation drives to help allay the Also distressing has been youth suffering of landslide victims in the crime, including severe vandalism and Philippines. burglary. There were at least five dif- The Guam community also cheered ferent incidents of alarming brutality on local athletes competing in the within a six-month period. One case 2003 South Pacific Games. Guam involved four boys, ranging in age competitors earned gold medals in from 6 to 9 years old, accused of athletics (track and field), , beating a 10-year-old neighbor girl and ; silver in athletics, to death. Three 16-year-old males men’s , bodybuilding, were charged as adults for punching, women’s soccer, and ; and kicking, and breaking a 41-year-old bronze in women’s , , and woman’s rib after she had ignored swimming (PDN, 15 July 2003). Lori their request for sex. The same three Cruz Hayden, winner of two gold males were also charged with beating medals in bodybuilding at the 2003 a man, whom they believed to be games, also earned gold at the 2003 homosexual, with their fists, feet, and World Women’s Bodybuilding, Fit- a bat. Two months later, four teenage ness, and Body Fitness Champion- boys aged 16 and 17 were charged as ships. This makes her one of the top adults for beating up a man, kidnap- female bodybuilders in the world. ping and threatening to kill his female Guam continued to buzz with companion, and then stealing the activity at the end of the review couple’s car. Later, two young adult period. Campaign signs dotted the political reviews • micronesia 167 landscape in preparation for the continued to provide cover for the November elections. Local media Rota/Tinian coalition by not resigning introduced candidates for the island’s until he was finally taken into custody Liberation Day Queen. And various and sent to federal prison for a little Guam agencies, organizations, and over five years. Atalig demonstrated individuals were revving up to parti- how he felt about the decision with cipate in the July 2004 Festival of an infamous hand gesture, a dramatic Pacific Arts in . moment captured on video by the kelly g marsh cable news reporter standing outside the courthouse. During the sentence hearing, Judge Munson severely chas- Special thanks to Dr Robert Under- tised Mr Atalig for his failure to take wood for comments on an earlier responsibility for his actions. Mean- draft of this review and to Shawn while, Atalig filed a new letter of Davis for editorial assistance. resignation in the Senate, making the election of his successor in November 2003 the new effective date. References The Senate quorum remained at Bordallo, Madeleine Z. 2004. The Chal- five regardless of the fact that Senator lenges Ahead. Congressional Address to Atalig had been convicted and sen- the Guam Legislature, 5 February. tenced for a felony, but technically Cruz had officially resigned his posi- 27th Guam Legislature, 2003–2004. tion. At that time, the Senate had no Mina’ Bente Siete Na Liheslaturan Gua- provisions to automatically dismiss a han (Public Laws-27th). . calendar year, with eight official mem- bers, only seven of whom could be PDN, Pacific Daily News. Hagåtña, Guam. physically present. Following incar- ceration of Mr Atalig the majority changed from five to four for the Commonwealth of the purposes of passing legislation. Dur- ing the November election, Rota had The year under review was packed to elect two senators instead of one: with many significant issues and one to replace Atalig and take office events. The drama involving Senators immediately, and one to take office José Dela Cruz and Ricardo Atalig in January when the regular term played out until the last possible expired for the other senator from moment (McPhetres 2004, 132–133). Rota. This left the Rota delegation Dela Cruz pled guilty and showed one member short between November ample remorse for his role in the and January. With eight senators, a fraudulent hiring of his daughter by quorum to hold meetings was five, colleague Ricardo Atalig; he received and the Rota/Tinian coalition domi- a fairly light sentence. But Atalig nated. This group, led by Senate