Guam must climb the accountability ladder

By Ed Untalan

Guam Chamber of Commerce gubernatorial forums, I introduced what is known as the "accountability ladder." The idea is simple: when faced with a problem, individuals and organizations can move in one of two directions.

They can remain below the line, ignoring the problem, blaming others, making excuses, waiting for direction or saying, “That’s not my job.” Or they can climb above the line, acknowledging reality, accepting ownership, finding solutions and taking action.

Guam has spent too much time below the line.

In my last message, I raised concerns about the continued growth of the Government of Guam’s budget and asked whether taxpayers are receiving better services in return.

Government revenues and expenditures have grown substantially, but many of the problems confronting our community remain painfully familiar: a struggling hospital, deteriorating schools, crime, drugs, abandoned vehicles, housing shortages and an economy that remains too dependent on government spending.

The response cannot always be that the government needs more money.

At some point, leadership must ask a more difficult question: What are we accomplishing with the money we already have?

That is where the accountability ladder begins.

The lowest rung is denial: refusing to recognize that a problem exists or insisting that conditions are better than the public’s lived experience suggests.

The next rung is blame. Responsibility is assigned to a previous administration, the legislature, federal policy, the private sector, the pandemic, the military buildup or circumstances beyond anyone’s control.

Then come the excuses. The process is too complicated. The law must be changed. The agency is understaffed. A study is needed. A task force must be formed.

Each explanation may contain some truth. But explanations do not repair a school, improve a hospital, reduce crime, or create affordable housing.

Leadership begins when we climb above the line.

First, we must acknowledge reality. Guam faces serious fiscal, economic, and institutional challenges. A growing budget does not automatically mean a stronger government and increased spending cannot be treated as the principal measure of progress.

Second, we must accept ownership. Public officials cannot be responsible only for announcing programs and securing appropriations. They must also be accountable for implementation, performance and results.

Third, we must find solutions. Every major appropriation should have a defined purpose, measurable objectives, implementation deadlines and a person or agency clearly responsible for delivery.

Finally, we must take action. When a program is not working, it should be corrected, consolidated, or discontinued. When an agency consistently fails to perform, leadership must intervene. When taxpayer money produces no measurable public benefit, continuing to fund the same approach is not compassion or commitment; it is avoidance.

This principle applies beyond government.

Business leaders must accept responsibility for developing employees, investing in our community, and preparing successors. Civic organizations must measure their impact, not merely their activity. Residents must remain engaged after elections and hold leaders accountable regardless of political affiliation.

ADVERTISEMENT

Accountability is not about assigning blame. It is about ending the cycle of blame.

As Guam prepares for another election and another budget cycle, candidates and public officials should tell the community more than what they intend to spend. They should explain what results they will produce, how those results will be measured, who will be responsible, and what will happen if the objectives are not achieved.

Guam does not need another promise to study its problems. We know what many of the problems are.

The question is whether we are prepared to own them.

The Accountability Ladder gives us a straightforward standard: acknowledge it, own it, solve it, and do it.

It is time for Guam’s elected officials - and all of us - to climb above the line.

Ed Untalan is the 2026 chairman of the board of the Guam Chamber of Commerce.

Subscribe to

our digital

monthly issue