Won Pat bill empowers superintendent

by Nick Delgado

Guam - Speaker Judi Won Pat reintroduced legislation that would make changes to the current local law granting the Guam Department of Education's superintendent more authority when it comes to the rules and regulations for public school property. Bill 289 would remove the Guam Education Policy Board's power to prescribe procedures such as using school property as a community or recreation center, enforcing a schedule of charges, if necessary, for using the property or enter into agreements with non-public schools for mutual utilization.

The measure, then called Bill 233, was vetoed just last week by Governor Felix Camacho as he felt allowing all public school properties in this measure could potentially risk the government's effort to rebuild and reopen John F. Kennedy High School. Bill 298 now exempts the JFK Upper Tumon campus from being used under this proposed measure.