by Ken Quintanilla

Guam - Having recently returned from a United Nations seminar in Ecuador, Commission on Decolonization executive director Ed Alvarez says Guam lies in the middle out of 16 other non-self-governing territories in terms of progress relative to decolonization. Guam is now at the stage where it needs to start the education program however funding is preventing it from moving forward.

Alvarez told KUAM News, "We're at the stage now where we need the money, the money will fund the education program, which will fund the marketing program which will get the advertising out and all the information that is pertinent to the process."

He has since received legal opinion that is possible to received donations but it can not be solicited. Alvarez has estimated about a million-dollar budget is needed and has since requested $250,000 from the Department of the Interior with another $250,000 he says has been committed by Governor Eddie Calvo from the local funds.

The Commission meanwhile is expected to meet later this month.