The Tourism Oversight Committee pressed the Guam Visitors Bureau's board and management to fix personnel problems and confusion over the board’s authority that they say are hindering tourism recovery- this as the legislature looks to clearly define the role of GVB’s board. 

Multiple employees are “alleging a climate of fear and toxic work conditions,” according to tourism oversight chair Senator Jesse Lujan. "All I’ve heard lately,"  he said, "were rumblings about publicly-funded trips, hiring sprees and even that working conditions have become toxic and personalities are driving decisions. People are quitting or choosing to retire. We’re really losing focus on what really matters, rebuilding Guam’s economy."

Lujan pressed the agency's board and management on an apparent break in communication in addressing the concerns. Those employees, he said, alleged they are “not allowed to speak to the board.” Th senator questioned, "Why is that? I mean, is that what’s happening?"

Chairman of the board George Chiu responded by saying, "I am unaware of any employee not being able to speak to the board." Chiu said the board is operating under a new structure where board members are not allowed to directly tell employees what to do, but must go through president and CEO Regine Biscoe Lee. 

Biscoe Lee herself said, "Now does that prevent the employee within GVB from directly approaching a board member? I don’t think so." On the other hand, she added during her first two months on the job, a new anti-retaliation policy has been implemented, which allows workers to bring up concerns to the president and to the board chair. 

"In addition to that, in my first three months, three to four months, I was able to schedule one-on-ones with every single employee at GVB. And so really wanting to clear the air and make sure that we have open communication between our employees, our management, and the board, as well," she said.

Although the bigger picture is the Guam Legislature taking this issue to revisit restructuring the board’s authority.  Senator Lujan said, "George, you’re a lot younger than me, and this is for you to fix. If you need the authority to make those changes, you have to let us know."

"There’s a question about whether GVB is a governing board or an advisory board," said Chiu. "Again, I sit here not knowing what we clearly are today."

Lujan said the committee will be meeting again to clearly define the role of the board. Of note is that disputes over control caused conflict between the board and management in the past, from delayed board meetings, allegations of unethical conduct and public clashes between then-president Carl Gutierrez and the chairman.