Merit bonus certification letter requested

by Ken Quintanilla

Guam - Committee on Finance chair Senator Ben Pangelinan has written to Bureau of Budget and Management Research director John Rios, saying the Guam Legislature and his office have yet to receive a certification letter for payment of merit bonuses as outlined in law.

Pangelinan states that the director of BBMR shall sign a certification letter and submit it to the Legislature 15 days prior to the release of payment that states the appropriations made for the payment of prior years' obligations do not negatively impact the current operational needs of the department or agency requesting the payment.

It was last month when the Governor's Office distributed $4.5 million in meritorious bonuses. Rios has yet to respond for comment.