HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Sen. Telo Taitague said she will push for an override of the governor’s veto of Bill 213-37, the measure that requires the public auditor to establish deadlines for agency heads to submit information required for the Office of Public Accountability to carry out its duties and establishes fines if those deadlines are not met.
Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero vetoed the bill on Wednesday, stating that it did not reflect a clear understanding of the audit process and that it did not require the public auditor to work with government entities to develop a reasonable timeline.
Taitague is the main sponsor to Bill 213. The measure also passed with support from all 15 senators in March. Ten votes are needed to override a veto.
“It is unfortunate that we have to create bills such as this, to require agencies heads to do the job they are paid to do. This move by the governor sends a clear message to department directors that they can continue to delay the GovGuam audit without fear of penalty. She will not hold herself or her people accountable for a job they are clearly responsible for and for which they continue to be very well compensated,” Taitague stated in a release Thursday, following the governor’s veto.
The senator said it was “interesting” that the governor cited the Legislature’s lack of understanding of the audit process as one of the reasons for her veto.
“Yet the problems and the proposed solution contained in the bill were acknowledged and affirmed by Guam’s public auditor. Moreover, it was agreed to by the entire legislature,” Taitague stated in her release.
“One must wonder why the governor would protect those directors who are not doing their jobs at the expense of the general public. I most certainly will push for an override of this ill-advised veto, and remind those senators who voted yes, to stand firm in their support for public accountability. The people of Guam deserve nothing less,” the senator added.
The governor noted in her veto message that agencies that would be most impacted by Bill 213, including subject-matter experts at fiscal agencies, were not invited to testify at the public hearing for the measure.
Telo Taitague
