Call it a Mother's Day gift for the island. Governor Lou Leon Guerrero announced that the reopening of the economy will come a day earlier than expected: Sunday, May 10.

The infection rate data over the last week, says the governor, is good enough to give her the confidence to declare PCOR2. That means along with the essential businesses that have been in operation throughout the COVID crisis, many other businesses can restart, such as malls, shopping centers and other retail outlets.

They have agreed to adhere to the Guam Department of Public Health's now-familiar safety measures to protect both customers and employees such as wearing masks, washing hands and maintaining social distancing. But in allowing them to open back up, the governor says businesses must police themselves.

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Leon Guerrero announced during her streaming press briefing, "I'm confident that our business community will not risk this coronavirus infection, so they will self regulate and self police themselves. I also think that people will also do it, only because they also don't want to again start all over with this battle with re-infection with coronavirus.

But even as businesses reopen, it will be a while, possibly a long while, for the economy to recover. Which means companies and individuals will need to tighten their belts. But what about the Government of Guam?

"This is our time to look at what we can be in terms of efficiency and effectiveness, so we're not," continued the island's chief executive. "It's not a major attention right now because we are involved with all these other issues, but we have started looking at what we can do to make a more efficient government."

Government offices will also start reopening next week - in phases - with those dealing directly with businesses among the first.

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