Will Gutierrez be included in governor’s economic, recovery advisor panels?

Will the governor's economic and recovery councils really include her chief advisor on economic, national and international affairs? Bipartisan support for former two-term former governor Carl Gutierrez cites his experience in crisis management - but it remains to be seen if he'll get a seat at the COVID recovery table.

On Friday Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero named her Recovery Panel of Advisors, a group tasked with figuring out how to reopen the island in steps and recover from the economic death blow the COVID crisis has dealt Guam. The governor announced the recovery panel will be made up of Guam Economic Development Authority deputy Dr. Ricky Hernandez, GEDA chair David John, the governor's son and Bank of Guam chair Joaquin Cook, Christine Baleto of the Guam Chamber of Commerce, Lt. Gov.Josh Tenorio, GVB head Pilar Laguana, Guam Women's Chamber of Commerce president Holly Rustick, Public Health officials and Adelup chief of staff Tony Babauta.

Noticeably absent from the newly-announced recovery panel and her separate Governor’s Economic Recovery group? The Magahaga’s chief advisor on economic, national and international affairs - former governor Gutierrez.

KUAM popped the question: would the former two-term chief executive be a part of this recovery group or the other economic recovery group?

"I actually asked our chief of staff to loop in former governor Carl Gutierrez," the governor said.

But whether or not Gutierrez will have a seat at the table of just be in the "loop" one former republican senator says Gutierrez would provide valuable insight and experience. Former senator Tony Ada also said the recovery and economic panels should include more diverse voices.

 "He's been through so many typhoons, earthquakes, Korea Airlines crash, different types of pandemics that have gone throughout the years that he's had many experiences in," he said. "He could put some valuable input into how we can go ahead and start recovering locally and in that manner being the economic advisor to the governor, I think he should have probably been on that board. Not just Governor Gutierrez, we should have had some folks from the local economy, the hotel and tourism industry we should have had folks - the small business owners, appeal to them just so we can get a gauge of what's going out here in the economy and how it's affecting people."

Meanwhile, Speaker Tina Muna Barnes also chimed in, giving her support for Gutierrez - she served as a cabinet member during his administration.

"He is a very hard worker and if both governors are going to work together I'm going to continue to work closely with them. But I think it's important to know that during the economic crisis, during the earthquakes, during the storms, that former governor Carl Gutierrez was a man who worked really, really hard and he was going to make sure that they take care of them the same way this governor and lieutenant governor are working to make sure our community is safe," Barnes said.

Meanwhile sources on the governor's economic recovery group say Gutierrez wasn't included on that council, either. The economic advisory group will present ideas on reopening nonessential businesses to the recovery panel on Friday.