A dispute has arisen in Guam over whether or not Governor Eddie Calvo authorized gambling at the Tiyan carnival grounds following the Liberation Day carnival in August. The Guam Attorney General’s office recently began investigating the issue, after receiving a letter from an anti-gambling group.
Sinajana Mayor Robert Hofmann, who also serves as vice president of the Mayors’ Council of Guam, said Calvo has allowed the mayors Mangilao, Talafofo, Sinajana, Agana Heights and Dededo to use the site for gambling since August, with proceeds going toward village events and projects. “We did make requests and we did get the response from the governor. We wouldn’t do anything illegal. We followed what was authorized to us. I know that each of the mayors would have communicated with the governor somehow. If it’s been going on for five months, I’m pretty sure they talked to each other.”
However, Calvo spokesman Julius Santos said the only villages that requested to use the Tiyan site for gambling activities this year were Asan-Maina and Barrigada. Santos added the governor was unaware of the gambling activities at the Tiyan site. “The fact that there was no authorization—how could you be aware?” Santos said.
Santos provided to the media letters from the mayors and Calvo’s replies to them. In the letters to Mangilao, Talafofo, Sinajana, Agana Heights and Dededo, the governor listed the games and dates allowed but only specified that cockfighting could be held within the villages.
Hofmann said since no location was specified for other forms of gambling, the mayors might have interpreted this as authorization to hold gambling outside their municipalities. Santos acknowledged the letters did not say the mayors were not allowed to use the Tiyan site, so this could have been interpreted as a “grey area.” However, Santos insisted Calvo did not give those villages approval for gambling at Tiyan.
Dededo Mayor Melissa Savarez said her village stopped gambling operations while the investigation is going on. “Rev and Tax gave us a call and advised us to stop operations because they received a complaint,” she said.
