Guam delegate Michael San Nicolas says he will notify the legislature when he is ready to deliver the congressional address.
Speaker Tina Muna Barnes maintains that the Guam Code requires the delegate to appear before the legislature once a year and give an address on federal-territorial issues.
2 GCA § 1124: Appearance of Guam’s Washington Delegate.
“Annually at a month to be determined by the Speaker and the Congressman, the Speaker shall invite Guam’s Delegate to the United States House of Representatives to appear before the Legislature and give an address on federal-territorial issues.” (SOURCE: Added by P.L. 18-011:1 (Aug. 3, 1985)
The Speaker says the date of the address is supposed to be worked out by the Speaker and the delegate.
On Oct. 28, Barnes wrote to San Nicolas inviting him to set the date for his address. San Nicolas has yet to respond to her letter.
San Nicolas told PNC News that his office is currently focused on getting work done, and he will be more than happy to showcase that to the legislature.
In the meantime, he said the legislature needs to focus on when they will address all of the local shortcomings that have people very frustrated.
Commenting on San Nicolas’ response, former delegate Dr. Robert Underwood said perhaps San Nicolas should focus more on how to communicate directly with the people of Guam and his fellow elected officials.
“He seems to misunderstand that he is sent there to represent our interests,” said Underwood. “How he is doing is up for us to decide not for him to pontificate about as if he were a federal overseer.”
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