by Mindy Aguon

Guam - District Court Judge Consuelo Marshall has given the plaintiffs in the amended permanent injunction case until next week to respond to the Government of Guam's motion to modify court-ordered payments. The government has asked for a reprieve of having to come up with $3.2 million on August 1, as was ordered by the court.

The payments, which total more than $15 million for this year, are supposed to help the federal management team facilitate the mandates imposed by the court in providing adequate care and individualized treatment to individuals with disabilities. The government cites the current cash crisis as the reason for being unable to make the August payment and have asked that the court delay the schedule a third time, as the receiver currently has access to more than $7 million that is sitting in a bank account.

The plaintiffs have until Thursday, July 28 to submit their response.