The Senate of Guam held a public hearing Oct. 30 to receive testimony on Legislative Resolution 83-38, which recognizes 2025 as the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives and urges coordinated implementation of Guam's Limited Cooperative Association law.

The resolution, introduced by Senator Sabrina Flores Perez and cosponsored by several colleagues, asks state agencies and partners to pursue cooperative education and training programs, an outreach campaign through the University of Guam and the Guam Economic Development Authority (GEDA), and administrative updates and staff training at the Department of Revenue and Taxation (DRT) to allow cooperative business registrations under Public Law 37-147, enacted Dec. 28, 2024.

Why it matters: Witnesses told senators that cooperatives can help meet United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on poverty, food security and resilient local economies while keeping wealth and jobs on-island. Advocates testified that without outreach, training and accessible administrative processes, the statutory framework established by Public Law 37-147 will not translate into functioning cooperatives.

Support and testimony
Jordan Panuelo of the Micronesia Climate Change Alliance said, “I believe in the power of people coming together,” and urged the body to pass the resolution to spark wider public awareness of cooperatives and their ties to SDGs (testimony began at 06:06). Michelle Crisostomo, president of Guahan Sustainable Culture and a commercial farmer, said, “The law exists, and now we need implementation,” and described how cooperatives would allow small farmers to aggregate supply, access federal grants and improve food security (08:48).

Teod Meresbang, CEO and co‑founder of Pacific Nesian Equities, urged creation of cooperative development centers and a cooperative division within economic agencies, and proposed tax incentives and employee- or tenant-purchase pathways to speed worker and housing cooperatives. Citing examples from Sri Lanka and the Spanish Mondragon group, multiple witnesses argued that resourced cooperative institutions can provide training, research and governance support that sustain long-term cooperative growth.

University and agency responses
Written testimony read into the record from the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant expressed institutional support and linked cooperative development to the Guam Green Growth (G3) initiative and workforce training programs (UOG testimony read at 60:27). GEDA’s written submission acknowledged cooperative potential but said the agency must assess what professional and financial resources it could dedicate to an outreach and education campaign.

Technical and funding details
Witnesses pointed to existing U.S. programs and technical assistance that could support cooperatives — USDA value-added producer grants, the Rural Business Cooperative Program, and national cooperative development centers — and named potential partners including the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives and the Northwest Cooperative Development Center. Advocates said DRT must finalize and circulate cooperative business license forms and train staff so members can form Limited Cooperative Associations (LCAs) under Public Law 37-147.

Not every item is a formal directive. Testimony repeatedly framed the resolution as a call to action rather than an immediately binding programmatic change. Several speakers requested a resourced cooperative task force or a cooperative development center to coordinate government, university and community efforts and to help cooperatives access grants and technical assistance.

Next steps and outcome
No formal vote on the resolution was recorded at the hearing; senators heard testimony and discussed follow-up with witnesses. Senator Perez closed the hearing at 3:21 p.m., calling the resolution a call to action and thanking witnesses for their proposals and expertise.

Votes at a glance: no legislative votes were taken during this hearing.