Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero addressed the Guam Chamber of Commerce Wednesday morning, maintaining that the island's COVID-19 restrictions have been effective, that her administration has provided comprehensive relief programs and that now is not the time to reduce Business Privilege Tax, a longtime ask of the business group.
"Guam was the only U.S. territory to administer a local grant program to help small businesses on island," she said. "When many of you called (Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio) and I to share how far behind you were in rental payments, we implemented the rental relief grant program."
"Our economy is only as healthy as our community. We cannot expect to recover from the economic devastation caused by COVID-19 if an increasing number of our people continue to be afflicted with this very deadly virus. It is why mitigation measures, like quarantine of all travelers into Guam, and regular community testing, are still needed despite our progress in vaccinating our island," Leon Guerrero said. "Our numbers show this strategy is working. We are containing the virus better than our mainland counterparts."