by Mindy Aguon

Guam - The Hay Group, hired by the Government of Guam, to develop various pay scales for thousands of public sector workers, will be back on island to present its final recommendations. Last month the group presented six different pay plans that it recommended the government establish for government wages.

A portion of the study that was not released was a review of the governor and lieutenant governor's salaries.

While he's waiting to see the final numbers, Governor Felix Camacho says he supports an increase in the pay for the island's top two leaders. "When you compare the level of pay for governors across the nation, we're in the bottom rung - probably the second to the lowest paid among all 50 states and five or six territories. So we're one of the least paid. But comparatively when you look at the salaries as compared to all other professionals and the level of responsibility, there's no comparison."

Camacho notes that if approved, the increases for the pay would impact the island's next governor. The Hay Group is expected to meet with government officials later this week or early next week to present the final recommendations.

The governor says it's up to the Guam Legislature to decide if incremental pay raises should be given to government employees at the start of the new fiscal year.