by Nick Delgado

Guam - Close to a thousand Government of Guam workers who have received outstanding or superior performance ratings over the years will see the fruits of their hard work on Friday. KUAM News has confirmed that the Calvo Administration will be paying out $4.5 million in meritorious bonus awards.

A class action lawsuit was filed back in October of 2010 against the government for failing to follow the law that was introduced two decades ago by then-senator Carl Gutierrez. Under the program any employee who receives an outstanding rating on their performance evaluation review is entitled to 3.5% of that year's base salary.

Governor Eddie Calvo says it was an unfunded liability since 1991 and paying what was owed to the employees was just a matter of prioritizing. "The good news on the fiscal side is we're cleaning up our balance sheet but more on the other side of things but this is about a government making good on its promises and obligations. There have been many workers that have done a commendable job and were mandated by law to receive a certain pay that was owed to them. It goes back to 1991 and we're making good on that obligation to our workers," he said.

The governor adds he wants to congratulate his fiscal team for running a tight ship and cleaning up the government's books and reducing the deficit.

He also wants to congratulate the government workers who have been patient and waited so long to get what was due to them. Calvo says lawsuit or not, the government needed to make good on its obligation.