by Mindy Aguon

Guam – At 3pm Friday the Guam Department of Revenue & Taxation began turning residents away from the designated tax refund check distribution sites because they weren't able to service all of the thousands of people who were waiting in line. Rev & Tax deputy director Marie Benito says officials made the decision to cut the lines at 1,000 people at GPO in Tamuning, and at 1,200 at the Micronesia Mall in Dededo and at the Agana Shopping Center.

The decision didn't sit well with the thousands of people who spent the day waiting in the hot sun, like Carlos Villagomez of Malojloj, who told KUAM News, "It's kind of crazy they went by a count of head instead of a count of persons receiving their checks so they're probably counting their spouse, which is right next to them." He added, "I knew I was going to wait maybe more than two hours, but I didn't think they were going to cut it off right where we were or even at all. I thought they would wait until the mall ended."

For Tamuning resident Ed Ramos, he was the lucky one thousandth person who made the cutoff to get his refund today. "I feel bad for the person who was behind me because it's just a few second and he's cutoff and I'm not," he stated, adding that he'd first arrived "a little before 12".

The Guam Police Department was dispatched to the distribution sites because of angry residents who refused to leave the lines. Benito says officials will regroup tonight and determine problem areas from today and ways they can improve the system for tomorrow's distribution.