Guam State Clearinghouse - “Latest News”

Governor Felix P. Camacho received official notification that the Guam Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly the Food Stamps Program, has been recognized for exceptional nutrition services and awarded as one of the nation’s “Most Improved Payment Accuracy Rate” for Fiscal Year 2009. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of External and Intergovernmental [...]

The Department of Education has chosen the company it wants to hire as a third-party financial manager, but is holding off on releasing the company’s name until its federal counterpart gives the thumbs up.
Deputy Superintendent Taling Taitano said last night DOE chose its preferred bidder last week and expects to receive approval from the U.S. [...]

Fiscal mismanagement at the Guam Environmental Protection Agency has hurt the agency’s ability to protect human health and the environment, according to the U.S. EPA’s 2009 End of Year Program Review Summary released April 28.
The 23-page review focuses on Guam EPA’s financial difficulties that it has been experiencing over the last two years and [...]

With over $145 million in federal grants awarded to the Guam Department of Education this fiscal year, the department’s federal programs division is hosting a two-day overview of the grants received by key stakeholders.
The first of the two-day event will be held today from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Hilton Guam Resort [...]

The Guam International Airport Authority received positive feedback from the Federal Aviation Administration this week. Airport General Manager Carlos Salas says this was the FAA’s annual visit to ensure the airport is in compliance with its grant standards.
Ref: KUAM 3/17/10

The Government Accountability Office released a report on the U.S. insular areas and opportunities that exist to improve the Department of the Interior’s grant oversight and to reduce the potential for mismanagement. The GAO report reviewed the U.S. insular areas of American Samoa, CNMI, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam and how they’ve been spending [...]

The University of Guam fiscal year 2009 audit was released Tuesday by the Guam Office of Public Accountability. It was conducted by independent auditors Eide Bailly. It shows a $1.3 million increase in net assets, an increase of $3 million in grants and contracts, and the highest enrollment in ten years.
The auditors rendered an [...]

The government of Guam’s financial leaders said they would release enough money so federally funded public school system employees won’t have to skip work, said Department of Education Superintendent Nerissa Bretania Underwood.
Department of Administration acting Director John Camacho said his agency will release about $6.1 million to DOE, which is enough money to pay the [...]

The Office of the Attorney General has released the findings of an investigation of a Port Authority of Guam contract paid through federally funded “Office of Economic Adjustment” funds. The amount of $350,000 is under local and federal review and was placed on hold for payment.
Click on the link to read the Attorney General’s [...]

The Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) submitted a favorable audit report earlier this month outlining the results of a recently completed review of the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority (GHURA) capital funds administered under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
The report [...]

The Guam Department of Education has received the USDOE’s amended special conditions letter, which identifies Superintendent Dr. Nerissa Underwood and GDOE internal auditor Lester Kuykendall as the point of contacts who will provide assurances to federal agency that the conditions for drawing down funds are complied with.
Under this condition, Underwood and Kuykendall will have to [...]

Acting Governor Mike Cruz has called on the Guam Attorney General to review the procurement process used by GovGuam in the award of $350,000 in federal funds for a public relations project for the Port of Guam.
The call for a review by the Attorney General follows a series of reports in the Pacific Daily [...]

On May 26, 2009, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the 2009 OMB Circular A-133 Compliance Supplement (the Supplement) effective for audits of fiscal years beginning after June 30, 2008, superseding the 2008 OMB Circular A-133 Compliance Supplement.
The new annual Supplement contains information updated to reflect new programs, deleted programs and [...]

The Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority had to tap into its reserve funds to maintain its Section 8 housing program, which provides rental assistance vouchers to eligible low-income families.
But GHURA Executive Director Benny Pinaula said the agency remains in stable financial condition and none of its services or programs are threatened.
The agency had to [...]

The Public Auditor has released an audit critical of the way the Guam Waterworks Authority has handled major federal awards.
According to a release from the Office of the Public Auditor (OPA) independent auditor Deloitte and Touche identified $446,000 in “unresolved” cumulative questioned costs as of September 30, 2008.
Read GWA Audit Highlights
Among the finding of [...]