Real Issues, Real Solutions
PART 1: Education Reform Series
By Eddie Baza Calvo

My fellow Guamanians,

There've been so many issues government leaders are pushing to the forefront. There seems to be a hodgepodge of stuff coming up - ranging from election reform, to issues in Iran, to zoning changes, and even what to write in press releases. I guess these things are important in their own right - but when we think about all the challenges that you go through in life, I've been wondering why some are avoiding the real issues.

I go out into the community a lot because I like to listen to the real issues that you face. It seems to me that you're concerned about the price of gas and power - the rising costs of everything - the services the government is providing - the rent, the mortgage, the car payment. In the government, the employees are concerned about cost-cutting and how it may affect them. In the private sector, the employees are counting on us for economic growth because they want better wages and more job security.

These are the real issues of Guamanians. These are the issues that affect their livelihood and their families. It's why we've been very focused on certain initiatives that cut to the heart of these issues. First and foremost is getting the government's finances in order so that we can pay your tax refunds. Not only that, we need government to be less of an employment agency, and more of an operation that provides services. It means cutting the spending that happens so we can afford things like school buses, classrooms, competitive teacher pay, police cars and bullet-proof vests, medicine for the sick - and care for the elderly and the disabled. It's a very simple formula for success, but one that requires sacrifice and political will.

When we consider the condition of our people, a third of whom are recipients of public assistance - people who are living in poverty - we came to realize that they need a break. This is why we've embarked on a critical short term initiatives. We're working hard and making great progress with increasing affordable housing opportunities. In fact, a little over $1.3 million will soon be released so that 20 more Guamanians will have a chance to raise their families in homes they can be proud of... In addition, we're working aggressively with our Asian neighbors to build economic partnerships to bring more investments to Guam and create more jobs for you…

My wife, your First Lady, also is joining me in this mission as well… She's working hard to help Guam's children, our must vulnerable youth, find loving, caring foster homes so they, too, can have a chance to know what how great families can be… And on top of that, she's taking early learning initiatives to the next level – helping young children succeed at an early age.

These are the short term initiatives we are focusing on to bring relief to the poverty we are facing now. But it is breaking the cycle of poverty that is most important… Every little bit toward the achievement of the Guamanian Dream will count.

That Guamanian Dream is something very powerful. There are Guamanians who took what opportunity they had, they mixed it with their God-given talent, and they worked hard to achieve their dreams. Last year, when I was in China, the National Governors Association paid for me to stay in the beautiful Shangri-la hotel. When I was there, an excited young man came to greet me. He said his name was Ryan Sablan Dadufalza, and that he's from Guam. He was introduced to me as the Chef de Cuisine of the hotel - the head chef in the most prestigious hotel in all of China.

Ryan graduated from GW High, then went through GCC's culinary program at the time. From there, he followed his dreams of being a chef. He worked hard and made his way up the ladder. He made something for himself, and in the midst of it, he made us all very proud. You can see Ryan in this video. He came back to Guam last week and paid me a visit in my office.

Ryan's dream come true is every young Guamanian's ticket out of poverty. Education is opportunity. It is the weapon young students have to fight the problems of this generation, and to transform Guam. This is such a timely issue when we consider that in the next few weeks, thousands of Guamanians will graduate from high school. And hundreds more of their peers who dropped out and could have graduated still have the opportunity to go back to school or to get their GED.

Education reform, among all the initiatives we are investing in this administration, is perhaps the greatest answer we have to the real issues Guamanians face today. From the ability to compete for the best-paying jobs - to the innovation it takes to start a business and create those jobs yourselves - education is the answer.

This address is the start of a weekly package where I will communicate to you the direction we are taking with education improvements and how it really affects your lives - your children's lives. I'll be working very closely with the new superintendent, the board of education, and the principals to move reform through.

I don't care about all the noise and the political distractions. I want to assure you that Ray and I have our eyes on the ball. We know what is important to you, and we'll continue doing what is right, despite the noise and despite the politics.

Thank you and God bless you all.