Decolonization discussions slated for western Guam

HAGATNA, Guam – A community in western Guam will host a series of village discussions about the island’s political relationship with the United States.

Adelup announced Wednesday that the government’s Commission on Decolonization will hold meetings beginning next week to educate villagers about Guam’s political options: independence, statehood or free association, reported The Pacific Daily News (http://bit.ly/2gFnurl ). The first meeting is scheduled for December 14.

“The commission is inviting all Guamanians to this meeting because it is important that we all understand what the self-determination movement means,” said Ed Alvarez, the commission’s executive director, in a news release. “It’s about time that the native inhabitants of Guam had a voice in determining their future.”

The island’s native Chamorro inhabitants are expected to vote on the issue in a non-binding referendum, but the vote has been delayed since 1998.

Gov. Eddie Calvo said earlier this year that he wanted to hold the vote along with the general election in November, but his plans for an aggressive education campaign never got off the ground and the commission delayed the referendum again.