About The Vigilance Committee.
Openness and Transparency in the government of Guam is key to holding public officials and government representatives accountable. Openness and Transparency depends on the critical element of access: the people's right to know the process of governmental decision-making and to review the documents and statistics leading to these determinations.
In recent events, governmental boards, commissions, and public officials have expressed the lack of understanding of the Open Government Law and the Sunshine Reform Act or demonstrated a willful disregard of these laws. Access to such information should not be thwarted by shrouding it with the cloak of secrecy or confidentiality. Moreover, a government that chooses working in secrecy over healthy scrutiny engenders waste and corruption, damages the concept of checks and balances, and loses the trust of its citizens.
It is our idea that public officials and government representatives serve the people of Guam with the best of intentions, to do good for our community. By increasing the understanding of the Open Government Law and the Sunshine Reform Act and increasing compliance therewith, the Vigilance Committee aims to promote ways to improve the dissemination and disclosure of information to the general public. When violations arise, the Vigilance Committee will address these violations in a systematic way, in cooperation with, public officials and government representatives.
The Vigilance Committee issues a clarion call to multiply efforts to promote ways to improve the public’s right to know by requiring compliance with the Open Government Law and the Sunshine Reform Act by public officials and government representatives to ensure a responsible and responsive government for the people of Guam.
In recent events, governmental boards, commissions, and public officials have expressed the lack of understanding of the Open Government Law and the Sunshine Reform Act or demonstrated a willful disregard of these laws. Access to such information should not be thwarted by shrouding it with the cloak of secrecy or confidentiality. Moreover, a government that chooses working in secrecy over healthy scrutiny engenders waste and corruption, damages the concept of checks and balances, and loses the trust of its citizens.
It is our idea that public officials and government representatives serve the people of Guam with the best of intentions, to do good for our community. By increasing the understanding of the Open Government Law and the Sunshine Reform Act and increasing compliance therewith, the Vigilance Committee aims to promote ways to improve the dissemination and disclosure of information to the general public. When violations arise, the Vigilance Committee will address these violations in a systematic way, in cooperation with, public officials and government representatives.
The Vigilance Committee issues a clarion call to multiply efforts to promote ways to improve the public’s right to know by requiring compliance with the Open Government Law and the Sunshine Reform Act by public officials and government representatives to ensure a responsible and responsive government for the people of Guam.