By Harvey Egna
Lots of important and timely issues face the people of Guam - rampant inflation, out-of-control crime, drugs, taxes, housing, shrinking population, and deteriorating schools. Fortunately, fireworks is not one of these issues because they are illegal. As a matter of fact, fireworks are no longer a problem at all. So let's keep it that way. We don't need to legalize fireworks.
Years ago fireworks were taken out of our entertainment equation for a number of very good reasons, which can be all summed up rather nicely: they are dangerous to people and the environment.
Do our emergency rooms need any more cases of missing fingers and eyes? What about the huge clouds of smoke that force us to keep our windows closed and deny us fresh air at the same time we are struggling with high power bills?
The manamko who have breathing problems are sent to the hospital because their homes are enveloped in firecracker smoke.
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Fireworks on not just a few holidays - every birthday, homecoming, christening, graduation, etc. could potentially result in a never-ending cacophony of explosives in the street outside our homes for hours on any day of the week with the resulting smoke drifting into open windows and interrupting our sleep.
In the morning, streets littering with the remains of hundreds if not thousands of fireworks wrappers. Our fire crews don't need to fight fires resulting from carelessly handled fireworks or deal with explosions from carelessly stored fireworks at commercial establishments. And our hard-working cops have enough to do without chasing down additional noise complaints as a result of fireworks.
What we have works just fine. I urge our senators not to take a step backward and approve the legalization of fireworks.
Sen. San Nicholas, our senators should focus on the important issues instead of introducing bills with real health and safety implications.
Harvey Egna is a resident of Yona.
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