THEY must still be livid over there at the House of Hessler.

Adelup has just placed the blame on the so-called “Friday Furloughs” plan on the lap of the Legislature even though the original proposal had come from the Government of Guam Retirement Fund.

Knowing it’s just a few weeks before the election, the cunning spin doctors in Adelup probably realized that something as politically charged as furloughs could be just what the administration needs to tilt the balance in the Legislature and get rid of the Democratic leadership once and for all.

Gov. Eddie Calvo, in an unscheduled special address this week, even gave out the telephone numbers and email address of Speaker Judi Won Pat’s office so the people can express their wrath on the hapless Speaker.

At the same time, in an obvious divide-and-rule tactic, Calvo virtually praised Vice Speaker Benjamin J.F. Cruz for being so “cooperative” in trying to find a resolution to the conflict with the Retirement Fund.

The Adelup spin doctors have actually been on overdrive for the past weeks. During the hearings on the spending cuts bill, for instance, the Governor’s Office kept a constant stream of real-time updates – all spun to Adelup’s favor, of course. The Democrats were so incensed by this that they actually criticized the Adelup press releases on live TV and let Carlo Branch loose to come up with dispatches of his own.

As for the Retirement Fund, this latest call for “Furlough Fridays” is not really something new. The GGRF folks in the past have actually called for furloughs and even more drastic steps like permanent layoffs. This may seem heartless, but from the Retirement Fund’s perspective, it’s better to lay off GovGuam people rather than harm the retirement nest eggs of its retirees.

The governor, on the other hand, is obviously (and rightfully!) looking at the long term. Furloughs, he argued, will not amount to much and would not achieve the overall goal of reducing the size of government. Remember, cutting GovGuam to size is a sacred Republican plank and Calvo intends to fulfill this during his watch.

Blue House scandal

It’s been weeks now since Blue House owner Song Ja Cha was sentenced to life in federal prison. But the case continues to dominate the headlines because of an even bigger and more reprehensible issue: the possible complicity of police officers in the case.

The scandal has become so big it has caught the attention of Adelup, with no less than Gov. Calvo and crime czar Lt. Gov. Ray Tenorio calling for a full investigation of the allegations.

But equally scandalous is the fact that possible police collusion in the case is only being acted upon now. Although Song Ja Cha’s sentencing only occurred recently, the Blue House trial and the allegations of police involvement have actually been ongoing years ago.

What’s shocking is that one police officer actually admitted he had sex with one of the Blue House girls. That admission alone should have spurred the authorities to launch an investigation a long time ago. Remember, even during undercover operations, police officers are prohibited from doing anything illegal. That rule should have been paramount; heck, we even see this practiced in the movies.

One good development that has happened so far is that the U.S. Attorney’s Office is now involved in the case. Even though federal involvement in the Blue House probe has been late in coming, it should be welcomed to ensure the credibility of the probe. Although the officers assigned by GPD to handle the investigation seem competent and beyond reproach, the public will always be tempted to think of a whitewash if the investigation is conducted solely by the police.

Restaurants galore

The way activity is picking up in the local restaurant industry, one would hardly think there was a slowdown in the economy and the military buildup.

A number of well-known mainland franchises are said to be starting operations soon. See the old Blockbuster location in Dededo being torn down? A new Papa John’s Pizza outlet is all set to open there. They have even launched a new Facebook page to help promote their new restaurant.

What’s more, sources at the Department of Revenue and Taxation say that names for Red Lobster and Olive Garden have already been registered at DRT.

Existing restaurants are not sitting still either. Pika’s Café is almost done transferring to a bigger location in Upper Tumon while Proa is now busy working on their Hagåtña location where the old T.G.I.F. restaurant was located. If plans push through, we may have all these new restaurants open by December.

It was also reported this week that Guam Premier Outlets and Tumon Sands Plaza may soon have new owners. This, too, is good news because it shows that off-island investors are still very much interested in Guam. Who knows what the new owner may still bring to further improve these properties? I just hope they retain the existing general manager because Monte Mesa has done a lot to transform GPO into a truly premier shopping destination.

Here’s to a better shopping and restaurant eating experience this holiday season!