by Krystal Paco

Guam - The Attorney General's Office testified against a bill aimed at paying off an outstanding claim to Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Company for work completed 18 years ago related to the construction of Chamorro Village. According to a company representative who testified at today's hearing on Bill 18, he said it was his understanding that the delayed payment was due to the transfer of funds out of the project account in 1996, since then they've been fighting to get paid.

Chief Deputy Attorney General Phil Tydingco said this is the third attempt to get a bill through the legislature to pay the company. He added if it passes it would set a terrible precedence. He added statute of limitations has run out for the multibillion dollar company.

The bill was introduced by Senator Rory Respicio, who questioned how then could the administration pay out $4.5 million in meritorious bonuses to GovGuam employees some of whom were owed bonuses dating back two decades. "I appreciate your position Mr. AG that this may be opening a Pandora's Box, but how many vendors out there are owed for 18 years, and we just can't say you passed off your right sorry the statute of limitation expired. What was your position when the administration paid meritorious awards as far back as 1991, didn't we pass a statute of limitations that's point.

Phil Tydingco said, "They didn't ask." Respicio said, "Well what are you doing being passive about their actions and saying they didn't ask so oh well. Because we ask you to testify in this hearing that's why you're involved." Tydingco said, ""That is a different circumstance your just mixing apples and oranges. your opening up the precedence. You wanna do this I'm just telling you what you're doing and its completely unfair. you want to do that fine. just giving you that position we can agree to disagree. "

If Bill18 is passed the company would be paid $392,000 from anticipated General Fund revenues from the current fiscal year.