Won Pat Calls Session for 1PM Monday
Speaker Judi Won Pat has cancelled her trip to Hawaii this week to attend a conference of the Pacific Island Association of Legislatures, of which she serves as President.<br />
June 23, 2013Updated: June 23, 2013
By KUAM News
By KUAM Newsby Sabrina Salas Matanane
Guam - Speaker Judi Won Pat has cancelled her trip to Hawaii this week to attend a conference of the Pacific Island Association of Legislatures, of which she serves as President.
The cancellation of her trip follows the events that unfolded Saturday at 9:00pm when 9 of her colleagues went back into session after she concluded and recessed session for July 1st at 7:37 earlier in the evening. As KUAM reported when the Speaker announced she was recessing session until next month after her trip objections were raised. The Speaker however hit the gavel and reportedly walked out of the session hall.
When the 9 senators returned to session at 9:00pm Majority Leader Sen. Rory Respicio said that what they were doing was unprecedented. He said the nine senators who are a majority could no longer operate under jungle rules and want the rules to be followed. They then voted not to return to session on July 1st and instead return on Monday at 9 o'clock in the morning.
In a new twist, KUAM News has learned the Speaker cancelled her trip and issued a memo to lawmakers calling them into session at 1:00pm Monday.
In her memo she stated "The announced attempt by nine members of I Liheslaturan Guåhan, outside of legislative session and without the presence of other members to convene session and pass a controversial gambling initiative; prior to the July 1st resumption of session, as gaveled in my capacity as the presiding officer of I Liheslaturan Guåhan, should concern us all".
The 9 Senators who were present Saturday at 9:00pm were:
Sen. Tina Muna Barnes
Sen. Tom Ada
Sen. Tony Ada
Sen. Michael Limtiaco
Sen. Michael San Nicolas
Sen. Brant McCreadie
Sen. Rory Respicio
Sen. Dennis Rodriguez,Jr.
Sen. Aline Yamashita
Absent were:
Speaker Judi Won Pat
Vice Speaker BJ Cruz
Sen. Ben Pangelinan
Sen. Tommy Morrison
Sen. Chris Duenas
Sen. Frank Aguon,Jr.
Speaker Won Pat called session for Monday afternoon to discuss the bills in the voting file as well as Bill 19 and Bill 20. Bill 19 would tax certain gaming devices and divert the revenue to the Guam Memorial Hospital. Bill 20 would tax gaming activities and the GNOC lottery and divert the revenue to upgrade sports facilities.