federal
government.
While
Guam's
efforts
are
an
act of
self-
determination to upgrade its political status, they are also an
attempt to resolve a number of problems which Guam has been dis-
cussing with the federal government for several years.
Many of
these problems center on Guam's view that federal constraints
are hampering economic development efforts.
In the context of
Status talks, Guam is tailoring a political status which addresses constraints such as the application of federal laws to Guam,
Guam's treatment under federal assistance programs, Guam's participation in regional and foreign activities, and control of
federal land on Guam.
Guam also hopes to establish formal parameters for its
relationship with the United States in a commonwealth agreement.
In a Statement to a congressional delegation in Guam in 1983,
the Governor of Guam said
the ambiguity surrounding Guam's
relationship with the federal government "is at the root of
virtually every other issue of concern between the federal and
territorial governments."
Guam's legislative leaders told us
a commonwealth agreement can
inherent
in Guam's
current
help eliminate the uncertainties
relationship,
and better define
Guam's status in the American family.
The Virgin Islands
For several years,
the Virgin
Islands’
political develop-
ment efforts centered on replacing its Organic Act with a constitution.
More recently, however, priority has shifted to
political
status
discussions,
attempting
to
rectify
problems
which some territorial leaders claim have resulted from an ambiguous U.S. territorial policy.
Since 1980, the Virgin Islands has initiated two political
status commissions.
The first was charged with examining the
territory's present relationship with the United States and sug-
gesting status options for the voters to consider in a referendum.
Although the commission's final report identified and
examined a number of status alternatives, no final status recommendation was made.
According to members of that commission,
the effort became encumbered by partisan politics and
interest, and thus did not accomplish its objectives.
lack of
The second and ongoing effort was initiated by the Virgin
Islands legislature.
In February 1984,
it created a Select
Committee on Status on Federal Relations to determine the status
of the Virgin Islands and propose a "Compact of Federal Relations" between the Virgin Islands and the United States.
The
Committee will address
:
“the
entire
range of
relationship,
federal
laws
the
(federal-territory)
including the applicability of
and
programs
13
to
the
Virgin