Quotable — July 2026

The Guam Chamber of Commerce hosted gubernatorial debates on June 24 for Republican Candidates and on June 25 for Democratic Candidates at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa. To view the debates in full on Wave 105.1, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwFDcCpwpNU 

On regulatory agencies:

“When I started in the 38th Guam Legislature I created the Business Review Committee so that I can bring the actual individuals that are involved in this process to the table so that we can talk about how to better run an effective and efficient government … so that we can talk about how regulations styme healthy business growth, so that we can talk about what’s necessary in the future so that we can become competitive, not just in the region, but internationally.”

—Sen. Frank F. Blas Jr., speaker of the 38th Guam Legislature, candidate for governor


On the Government of Guam:

“What we could possibly do is identify a ‘pay for performance’ type of activity, so that individuals that are actually executing the programs in their respective agencies are held accountable for all the things that they do. With the increased level of funding that is available, government services should be increasing. If you invest in modernization, digitization, organization you will receive and earn more on your investment than if you were to let everything just go to status quo.”

—Mary A. Y. Okada, candidate for lieutenant governor


On business and procurement:

“We have to have the online permitting once and for all. We need to ensure that almost all of our government services are online and that something basic like contracts, that we are monitoring them or monitoring them for value or monitoring them for deliverables, we're monitoring the deadlines and we're monitoring when they need to be renewed so that we don't end up with a situation where at Rev and Tax, where we’re unable to process online because of non-renewal of the contract.”

—Sen. Therese M. Terlaje, 38th Guam Legislature, candidate for governor


On fiscal discipline:

“It’s management procedures that funds need to be allocated appropriately. You look at examples like the Department of Education where we had schools falling apart – definitely funds needed, but we lapsed $26 million in the last fiscal year. That’s just unacceptable. … Our administration and our office will focus on that.”

—Edward John "E.J." Calvo, candidate for lieutenant governor


On recalibrating educational funding:

“The big reform I'd like to see is we need to open a vocational high school, a full-time, vocational high school that is focused on job readiness, and actually getting a job. Unfortunately the GCC (Guam Community College) programs are being treated like electives in the school system, and that's something that's got to change.”

—Lt. Gov Joshua F. Tenorio, candidate for governor


On fiscal discipline:

“We need to continue to educate our students to make sure that the possibilities for them to work here, stay here, live here is there for them and each and every one of you out there are doing that, but we need to give the support to each and every one of you. Education, safety and healthcare are very important. That is the tool for the Government of Guam to want to provide to each resident. We need to continue to give that back to our people.”

—Sen. Tina Rose Muña Barnes, 38th Guam Legislature, candidate for lieutenant governor


On the Government of Guam:

“We will get the proper leadership into the different agencies to ensure that every director and deputy that’s in place into a particular agency has the expertise in those departments. The measurement of performance is going to be based on what is the outcome … we have not seen any performance evaluation of those that are heading these agencies.”

—V. Anthony Ada, vice speaker of the 38th Guam Legislature, candidate for governor


On accountability:

“We are looking for problem solvers, we want to be able to bridge the gap between the services that they are looking for. We also are looking for competent, ethical, good character. People of good character and willing to really, possibly think outside the box when it comes to addressing the needs of our community. So we are looking for those type of professionals that are held to a standard, and that share the same vision and align with our initiatives to make Guam better and to make Guam thrive.”

—Sen. Sabina Flores Perez., 38th Guam Legislature, candidate for lieutenant governor


On management:

“We need to take care of business. We need to be able to do performance base, do a lot of speaking with the directors, looking at the agencies and measuring it. We want to see if the job's getting done. Are you getting the service that you have the right to, that's how we're going to do business, we're going to come to you, and we're going to expect you to come to us and say, help us, I'm going to say, so let's get this done today.”

—Sen. Joe S. San Agustin, 38th Guam Legislature, candidate for governor


On fiscal discipline:

“You try to encourage a wise spending, no better a person to do it with than with my partner. He has been at the forefront of balanced budgets for his past four terms, I agree with him, what he says, and the way we maintain our equipment save the government money and so with that, I wholeheartedly trust his judgment.”

—Dwayne San Nicolas, candidate for lieutenant governor