HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A lengthy discussion took place on how the island can reduce the number of abandoned cars, but it remains unclear who should take the lead on the initiative.
On Thursday afternoon, Sen. Sabina Perez held a roundtable discussion that gathered officials from a host of government agencies to discuss potential solutions to the growing problem.
However, despite proposals including an impound lot, stricter fines, changing the law and even jail time, as officials went down the line and spoke in the Public Hearing Room of the Guam Congress Building in Hagåtña, it appeared there was no agency whose leaders felt it should be responsible for the matter.
The Department of Revenue and Taxation, according to Guam law, currently has the responsibility of selling a car once it has been deemed abandoned after a 48-hour period.
DRT Director Dafne Mansapit-Shimizu admitted it was her first time joining in the long-standing discussion. At the roundtable, however, she said her department is “not in the business of auctioning vehicles,” before suggesting potential changes to the law.
“We think it’s very important to look at the law, to look at which agencies should be responsible for certain things, and what makes the most sense based on what the technical expertise of the agencies are,” said Mansapit-Shimizu, who further explained the law involves the department conducting appraisals and using certified mail to let the owners know their abandoned vehicles are being sold.
Angel Sablan, executive director of the Mayors’ Council of Guam, also suggested changing the law, primarily because the village mayors are the ones currently responding to abandoned vehicle reports and disposing of the vehicles.
“I don’t think the mayors should be in the business of collecting junk or abandoned vehicles, but we have been, since ever since,” said Sablan, who later added the mayors contact the Guam Police Department before picking up vehicles.
“We leave the car there, GPD takes the license plate, but then tomorrow there is no more tires on that vehicle,” Sablan said.
Police Chief Stephen Ignacio then explained his department’s responsibility.
“I think people turn and look at the police department as somebody that they need to hold responsible for removing abandoned vehicles, but the Guam Police Department is a law enforcement agency and there’s no crime that was committed by these cars that are abandoned,” said Ignacio. He added that when police take license plates, it’s because they are fraudulent.
Ignacio said the law should be strengthened because the current punishment for abandoning a vehicle is a $100 citation every 30 days.
“That’s the most teeth you’ve got, that I’ve got as law enforcement – and maybe even a littering citation, at best,” the police chief said.
Several times throughout the discussion, Department of Public Works Director Vince Arriola suggested that, since the cars are being treated like trash, the Guam Solid Waste Authority should be involved. There were no representatives from GSWA present during the discussion.
‘Embarrassed for all of us’
While Sen. Perez, along with Sens. Chris Duenas and Joe San Agustin, posed questions and comments after the testimony, it was Sen. Chris Barnett who said he was “embarrassed” with the progress of the discussion.
“I’m just embarrassed for all of us. A roundtable like this, or this assemblage of great minds, we should be solving problems like world peace, not coming together trying and we can’t even figure out how to get rid of junk vehicles,” said Barnett, who proposed a stricter law should be considered.
“Looking at the law, it’s how many pages – just cross it all out, put in two sentences. You put your car on the road, kiss it goodbye,” Barnett said, while also suggesting, as Arriola did, ordering individuals who abandon their cars to perform community service.
