by John Davis, KUAM News Wednesday, May 07, 2008 Subscribe to John's newsfeed   E-mail this article Printable version KUAM Toolbar Web Widgets Get RSS headlines

KUAM Video requires Flash 8. download it Here.

The recent decision from the Consolidated Commission on Utilities to disconnect streetlights around the island beginning next Monday has residents and mayors concerned about public safety. Mangilao resident Alan Ungacta says his biggest concern is kids waiting for school buses in the morning. "It's going to be dangerous, it might hamper the kids' safety and stuff because of the fact that there is some isolated areas in the back road and certain areas where the streetlight is required for the morning commute," he told KUAM News.

Ungacta adds that aside from the children's safety, many residents do their driving at night because they work all day, he says with the disconnections motorists will have to take extra precautions when running errands because the light will be out and the roads will be extra dark. As a taxpayer, who pays for the operation of streetlights every year, Ungacta agrees it was necessary for the CCU to make the necessary decision to disconnect streetlights because the Government of Guam hasn't paid their overdue bill for almost ten years.

He says now it up to the Guam Legislature and the governor to get their act together to make a payment come June 1. "Legislature, governor, lieutenant governor," Ungacta pleaded, "If you can please help the general public most of all everyone on the island. Let's try to resolve it by paying what it due, at least come up with the half that I understand that they have to come up with."

While many residents await a solution from the legislative and executive branches of their government to keep the island's streets lit, Governor Felix Camacho says for the last two years he's included proposals to pay down the streetlight debt via his Debt Elimination Plan, which he says was shot down by the Legislature both times. "We can no longer run from our debt," the chief executive commented. "The Legislature has to understand that and they have on their personal agenda made promises to their constituents that they will not raise fee or they will not raise taxes, but somewhere along the line, someone's got to pay and unfortunately again, it's on the backs of our people because throughout the years, its not been managed properly."

While the governor says he's not to blame, but rather your lawmakers, Senator B.J. Cruz (D) doesn't agree with that one bit, saying, "This administration hasn't even used its transfer authority to address this grave situation." The senator cited the fact that the governor vetoed a measure that would have given the authority to address the arrears.