Assistant Secretary Domenech Meets with Governor Calvo on Guam

HAGATNA - U.S. Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary Insular and International Affairs Doug Domenech and Office of Insular Affairs Director Nik Pula met earlier this week with Guam Governor Eddie Calvo at the Ricardo J. Bordallo Governor’s Complex in Adelup.  The Assistant Secretary was on Guam to pay his first courtesy visit to the Governor since becoming Assistant Secretary and to deliver $6.9 million dollars in FY 2018 capital improvement project (CIP) and technical assistance program (TAP) funding for the territory.  The Assistant Secretary will meet with Governor Calvo again on Saipan with other leaders at the Micronesian Islands Forum later this week.

“The Governor and I had some serious discussions about the effect that tax cuts are having on Guam’s people and Guam’s economy,” said Assistant Secretary Domenech.  “The Secretary and I are both impressed by the austerity measures that Guam has undertaken in response to budget cuts and assure that we will do all that we can to help advocate for Guam.” continued Domenech. 

The FY2018 CIP funds are for the following: 

• The Department of Parks and Recreation – $5,620,000 for repairs, renovations and/or upgrades of public gymnasiums, sports facilities, and restroom facilities, including plumbing and electrical repairs of facilities to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, to include preventive maintenance work.
• The Insular ABCs Initiative - $1,000,000 for a fourth year of the Insular Area Assessment of Buildings and Classrooms health and safety initiative to address critical deferred maintenance issues throughout Guam’s public schools.

The Guam Department of Administration also received $248,000 in TAP funding for the Fixed Assets Software & Hardware Upgrade project to resolve Fixed Assets Single Audit Findings.  This project will provide resources to improve reconciliation/reporting requirements for construction costs and to provide training for Fixed Assets personnel as it pertains to compliance with federal and state regulations.

While on Guam, the Assistant Secretary also paid a courtesy visit on Rear Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, Commander Joint Region Marianas.  He toured the Guam Memorial Hospital, Southern High School, the Guam Power Authority Wind Turbine, the Micronesian Resource Center One Stop Shop, and other sites that receive support though the Office of Insular Affairs.  He launched his visit on Guam with a visit to the Great Seal of Guam Park and the War in the Pacific National Historical Park in honor of National Park Week celebrated this year from April 21 to 29, 2018.

The Department of the Interior is responsible for coordinating federal policy with respect to the territories of American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and administering and overseeing U.S. federal assistance provided to the Freely Associated States of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau under the Compacts of Free Association.  The Office of Insular Affairs’ mission is to restore trust and fulfill insular responsibilities by executing activities which bolster healthcare capacity, strengthen island economies, and fulfill U.S. Compact obligations.  The Assistant Secretary discharges these responsibilities on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior.

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