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MVarietyNews.com CNMI News Local Public says not enough education about initiatives despite hiring of PR firm

Public says not enough education about initiatives despite hiring of PR firm

Thursday, 12 November 2009 00:00 By Gemma Q. Casas - Reporter
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MANY voters said they were not fully educated about the four initiatives on the Nov. 7 ballot even though the Commonwealth Election Commission hired a private public relations and advertising firm prior to the elections.

CEC Executive Director Robert A. Guerrero said the government contracted the services of Glimpses of Guam for $26,000 to conduct  public education about the initiatives.

The contract was given to the firm in September.

Guerrero said their budget for  public education was very tight because of the economic crunch.

In the past, public meetings were held to discuss the initiatives .

Guerrero said they did what they possibly could to reach out as many registered voters in the community.

But some voters said there was very little publicity about the initiatives.

“I didn’t even know what we were voting for. I didn’t even know that the elected officials like the governor will have an additional year in office if I voted for  Senate Legislative Initiative 16-11,” said a voter who declined to be identified.

None of the four initiatives were ratified based on the CEC’s interpretation of the term “votes cast.”

Rep. Tina Sablan and some private lawyers, however, are disputing CEC’s decision.

The four initiatives on the Nov. 7 ballot that were not ratified are:

• House Legislative Initiative 15-3, which imposes a two-term limit on Board of Education members.

• Senate Legislative Initiative 16-11, which will mandate that regular general elections be held in even-numbered years. It also adds a year to the terms of the governor, lt. governor, lawmakers and mayors elected this year.

• House Legislative Initiative 16-11, which prohibits the withdrawal of any funds from the general fund if there is no balanced budget enacted into law.

• The popular initiative that will apply the Open Government Act to the Legislature.

 

Comments 

 
0 #5 captain 2009-11-12 09:49 Another sole source contract, ($26K) an all day excursion to an is;land 200 miles away to get a few votes ($11K) another choper ride to the islands ($11K) To make an illegal charter on a boat (owned by Govt. employees) to take supplies or people off the island ($12K) So who owns this firm in Guam? What relation to who in this Govt. is the owner (s) The \"education\" on the initiatives was a joke. How about explaining just how the public was \"educated\". By what source? This is truly pathetic with almost all of the people in this admin.. But the lessor of the evils is in the runnoff and if the people vote in the same old incompetent Gov for another term they deserve to have the NMI close down and go back to the pre war days economy.

One of the papers should take a poll on how many people plan to leave for elsewhere to live and work if This clown gets back into office. W ether it be Guam, US mainland Phil. or where ever, just to leave the island.
 
 
+3 #4 strikezone 2009-11-12 06:53 Ummmmmm…$26,000 for hiring consultant for public education…yet…not many who voted were educated on the intiatives? I only knew of the Open Govt. Act and not the rest. Plain WASTE… Lose -Lose situation.
 
 
+3 #3 phelonious 2009-11-12 03:38 what a total rip off, guerrero thru his inexperience should be held accountable for that money. he could have given the 3 radio stations and 2 newspapers $5k each and the public would have been sick of hearing information about the initiatives. everyone knows that agencies take a fee right off the top for nothing, and then run up charges for themselves with production cost. at the very least there should be an audit made public on how the money was spent.
 
 
+4 #2 Newswatcher 2009-11-12 03:06 I agree with genesis but will go him one better: A savvy 6th grader could have done a better job of outreach with $26,000.
 
 
+2 #1 genesis 2009-11-12 01:52 A savy local individual can a much better job than Glimpses, Mr. Guerrero, for the same amount! What a waste of public funds.
 

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