From Yigo to Malesso, it’s hard to miss – graffiti scrawled across bus stops, buildings, and village signs. Now, new legislation aims to crack down on those responsible in hopes of eliminating the issue altogether. 

 “Graffiti is not art when it’s done without consent – it’s vandalism”. That’s what Speaker Frank Blas, Jr. had to say as he introduced Bill 167 – a measure to increase penalties for graffiti violations on public and private property. He explained, “When you see a newly painted wall or mural, sometimes the joke in the community is ‘When is that going to get tagged?’ and that’s not who we are. We’re better than that.”

Primarily, his measure proposes these enhanced penalties:

  • An increase for the first offense from $1,000 to $2,000
  • An increase in fines for subsequent offences to $4,000
  • Imprisonment for up to 180 days, up from the current 120 days
  • Increased punishment for adults convicted of violating sections of the Guam code pertaining to graffiti from a mandatory 60 days to a mandatory 120 days

Blas continued, “Hopefully it serves as a deterrent. Recognizing that if you do get caught and it’s not for art purposes or for purposes that are acknowledged – and accepted – by the community, there’s a hefty fine as well as some time behind bars.”

And he’s kept our island’s youth in mind during the drafting process. “There’s also a provision that basically says, ‘Parents, you’re responsible for your children and their actions," he noted.

In the case of a minor being caught doing illegal graffiti, the parents or legal guardian will be held responsible for payment of all fines. If the parents or legal guardian fail to make payment, lien will be filed on their property to include the fine and court costs.

Separate from the impact graffiti has on residents, in the eyes of the speaker, the graffiti littering Tumon also isn't helping Guam's chances of rebuilding its tourism industry.

 “Before you decide to invite someone to your home make sure your home is clean! And so, while we’re out there trying to entice people to come to Guam because it’s safe and we have sun, sand, and surf, or there are plenty of things to do…what are we showing them?” he said.

So, it’s going to take a group effort, not just from the Guam Police Department, Park Police, or even our mayors’ offices, but from the entire community.

“There’s been a sense of apathy within the community," Blas said. “You can have an increased number of police officers, but it really takes the community’s effort.”

So the speaker’s message is simple: if you see something, say something, as Blas said, “I hoped that this kind of legislation wasn’t necessary. That we didn’t have a graffiti problem, that people would take more responsibility for their actions, and that the community would be more aware and more vigilant towards these types of actions."

 “At the end of the day, take pride, take ownership, take responsibility.”