This report written by Governor Francisco Olive contains his insights about the social, political, and economic conditions of the Marianas. He focuses on the underdevelopment of the islands and draws the Spanish Government to look back at the colony’s history, specifically the second half of the 19th century. The report reflects the colonial mentality of Olive, who stresses the responsibility of the Spanish Government to the inhabitants of the Marianas, leaving unchallenged the right of Spain to maintain its sovereignty over the islands.

• Author(s):  Francisco Olive y Garcia
• Translator and Annotator: Marjorie G. Driver
• Publisher: University of Guam Press (2006)
• Imprint: MARC Publications
• ISBN-13: 1-878453-88-2
• Hardcover: 235 pages
• Price: $20

Marjorie G. Driver was an Associate Professor of Spanish and the Curator of the Spanish Documents Collection at the Micronesian Area Research Center, of which she is a founding member. With roots in the Eastern United States, she spent her childhood in Puerto Rico, is a graduate of Russell Sage and Middlebury Colleges and a long time resident of Guam. She taught in Guam’s high schools, was the principal at St. John’s School, and was a faculty member of the University of Guam. She has published numerous articles and English translations of historical materials concerning the lengthy Spanish presence in the Mariana Islands.

Distributed by the Richard F. Taitano Micronesia Area Research Center/ MARC Educational
Series No. 28

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