By Eric Rosario
The taxpayers of Guam got a bargain deal, when Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero hired former radio personality Logan Reyes to serve as her information and social media officer at $65,000 a year. Allow me to qualify that with perspective: CNMI Ralph Torres just hired Clifford Aldan to be his chief information officer for $80,000 a year.
His timing couldn't be worse. Mr. Torres is paying his new staffer nearly $15,000 more than the salary cap set by the Commonwealth Compensation Adjustment Act and Salary Act of 1991. He made this decision as the people of the Commonwealth suffer the double whammy of tourism in tatters, and the Torres grand vision of a bountiful casino now blind with corruption and closure.
The CNMI governor had to inform the speaker of the CNMI House of Representatives, and the Senate president about his hiring of Aldan above the salary cap, a move he must certify and approve. The letter was signed June 7.
Perhaps we shouldn't be too hard on either Reyes or Aldan. After all, the University of Guam spokesman got two raises in the last year and now makes more than $105,000 annually.
It's disgusting and unconscionable.