A million dollars meant for critical repairs at the Guam Department of Corrections is now under scrutiny—after lawmakers learned most of that money was never spent and may no longer be available. 

"With all due respect, you knew we were going to talk about the facility here," said public safety oversight chair Senator Shawn Gumataotao on more than a year after the Guam Legislature approved $1 million for critical repairs at DOC - only $300,000 has been used.

"If you want to improve and strengthen a facility, as Senator Sabrina Salas Matanane mentioned, and I think my other colleagues might have mentioned why have you not acted more quickly, and we wouldn't have an oversight like this," he added.

That leaves $700,000 unspent—and unanswered questions about where that money stands. During a legislative oversight hearing Wednesday, Vice Speaker Tony Ada pressed DOC director Fred Bordallo on the delay.

"Why is there still $700,00 remaining in that $1 million appropriation. And here we are 1 year later, since its been enacted into law?" the vice speaker questioned.

Bordallo blamed procurement delays—citing back-and-forth discussions with the Department of Administration and the General Services Agency—but could not confirm whether the remaining funds are still accessible.

"All I can say we are doing our best in terms of getting much of these requisitions out with DOA and and GSA, do the best that they can even with some of the turnovers that they have, to support us right?" said Bordallo.

The $1 million allotment was a standalone appropriation, specifically designated for critical repairs—not general operations. Senator Joe San Agustin, who authored the original appropriation last term, delivered a blunt warning, saying, "I'd like to see movement at DOC. id like to see the prisoners protected but the staff."

The funding was originally carved out of a $5 million package approved by the 37th Guam Legislature to address severe overcrowding and begin long-delayed plans for a new prison facility. While the remaining $4 million for modernization was never spent and later canceled, lawmakers restored the full $5 million in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget using excess revenue.

Just months ago, DOC leadership publicly lobbied lawmakers to bring that funding back.

Now, senators say spending delays—and uncertainty over critical repair funds—raise serious concerns about oversight, urgency, and accountability at Guam’s correctional facility.

Lawmakers say they expect answers soon on the status of the unspent money—and a clear plan for moving critical repairs forward.