Hagåtña, Guam - On Wednesday, Governor Lou Leon Guerrero met with six local companies who received awards under the Guam State Trade Expansion Program (STEP). Guam STEP is a Guam Economic Development Authority (GEDA) program funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration to increase the number of exporting small businesses and to increase the value of these exports. Guam STEP provides eligible small businesses with comprehensive export training, financial assistance for new to export and market expansion activities, and access to international markets. Guam STEP fund recipients are CoreSeed Aquaculture (Guam) Corporation, Hot Concepts, Inc. (dba Denanche’), Everything Guam, Imari, Kottura Innovations, and Warehouse Pacific. All six companies completed the Guam STEP training program and submitted an export plan to qualify for up to $21,000 each in grant funds (for a total award amount of up to $126,000) to implement their proposed export activities. “I am excited to know that these companies are taking the next steps to grow their businesses beyond Guam and to international markets,” said Governor Leon Guerrero. “It was inspiring to hear their personal stories and see the passion they have for what they do. The success of these entrepreneurs and others in our local business community is instrumental to the economic recovery of our island, and we must support their efforts.” “Guam STEP provides that extra push for our local companies to take advantage of opportunities overseas and grow their global brand,” said GEDA CEO/Administrator Melanie Mendiola. “These companies are representing Guam through their products as they expand their reach. We hope that this is just the start for many of our other local businesses and entrepreneurs to dream big and to dream global.” As part of Guam STEP, GEDA is hosting a virtual export conference on September 10, 2021, as a follow-up to the Taking the LEAP small business summit held in 2020. Visit GEDA’s website, www.investguam.com, for updates or to learn more about Guam STEP. ###

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and Lieutenant Governor Josh Tenorio issue the following statement on President Joe Biden’s announcement yesterday of his intent to nominate former Guam resident Chantale Wong to the Board of Directors of the Asian Development Bank: “We are proud that President Biden recognizes the talent and abilities of our Guam residents. Chantale is an alumna of the Academy of Our Lady. Her nomination and federal service show our young girls that they too can lead successful careers in the federal government and in male-dominated fields, such as finance and technology. Chantale’s hard work and contributions have been recognized by three U.S. presidents now, namely Clinton, Obama, and Biden. We have full faith that Chantale will represent Guam well in her new position as she has in the past,” said Governor Leon Guerrero. Wong was first appointed by President Clinton to the Board of Directors at the Asian Development Bank as the Alternate Director representing the United States. She was later appointed by President Obama to serve as Vice President for Administration and Finance and Chief Financial Officer at the Millennium Challenge Corporation. Wong has also held senior career appointments in the White House Office of Management and Budget, U.S. Treasury, NASA, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “In addition to her contributions in the federal service, Chantale has been a prominent figure in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. She established the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership, where she changed the lives of many young people who aspired to work in public service. To the hundreds of youth in our government internship program today, I encourage them to absorb and use all of the knowledge and experience being shared with them in the program. I am confident that they too, like Chantale, can effectively serve their communities,” added Lt. Governor Tenorio. ###

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and Lieutenant Governor Josh Tenorio, in partnership with the Mayors Council of Guam (MCOG), are proud to announce “Kontra i Piligru, Ta Fanachu,” or “Against All Peril, We Rise,” as the island’s 77th Liberation theme.

Last week, Governor Lou Leon Guerrero wrote a letter to Secretary Martin Walsh of the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), advocating for the inclusion of Guam in the regulations implementing Executive Order 14026, which increases the minimum hourly rate for federal contractors to $15.00 per hour. President Biden signed EO 14026 on April 27, 2021, which tasks Secretary Walsh to issue regulations to implement the mandate by November 24, 2021.

Hagåtña, Guam - The Office of Technology (OTECH), in partnership with the Office of the Governor of Guam, is proud to announce the launch of the Guam Public Notice website, available at notices.guam.gov. This portal provides a platform for public information regarding news, events, press releases, notifications, alerts, and announcements from Government of Guam agencies and boards, pursuant to Guam Public Law 32-037, and codified under 5 GCA §8107.1 “One of the key goals of this administration is to ensure our government is operating as efficiently as possible, implementing technological improvements where we can to best serve our community. The launch of the Guam Public Notice Website is long overdue. Still, we are grateful to have this tool moving forward, especially as more government meetings are conducted over Zoom and other online platforms,” said Governor Lou Leon Guerrero. Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio added, “We live in a digital era, and paired with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we have adopted new ways of executing government operations and services. While we have relied on posting public notices via traditional media, we recognize that most news and information is primarily consumed online. We applaud OTECH for launching this site and for training all our agency public information officers and staff detailed to disseminating information to use this tool.” “Not only does this site serve as a repository for all public notices, but it also allows residents to subscribe to receive updates and notices associated with their areas or agencies of interest,” added OTECH Chief Technology Officer Frank Lujan. “This platform will be an invaluable tool and will enhance our efforts as we shift more government services online.” The Guam Public Notice Website law was passed in June 2013. To view the law in its entirety, click HERE. ###

The Department of Revenue & Taxation has processed and the Department of Administration will mail checks for or pay by direct deposit 2,772 tax year 2020 and prior income tax refunds this week.

Deadline for Governor’s Education Assistance and Youth Empowerment Grant Program Set for June 11

CDC Lowers Guam’s Travel Risk to Moderate

Hagåtña, Guam - In an opinion issued today, the Guam Supreme Court upheld the Organic Act’s grant of ultimate authority to the Governor in the regulation of quarantine, holding that the Legislature’s attempt to limit the Governor’s quarantine policy was inorganic and void. “This is a hard-fought victory for the people of Guam and a win for our community members who have done what was needed to keep one another safe from this deadly virus. While this is an unprecedented pandemic, the court has acknowledged my executive authority to protect our people from the importation of COVID-19,” said Governor Leon Guerrero. “My quarantine policies have always been guided by science and my medical advisors. If it is necessary to expand quarantine protocol again, the full scope of my authority and responsibility will be clearly understood. Even as we approach herd immunity, it is important to continue being vigilant due to the threat posed by the emerging variants--the impact of which cannot be determined at this time.” ###