Governor Lou Leon Guerrero delivered a State of the `Today, telling business leaders Guam has moved beyond recovery and into what she called a period of resurgence. She spoke at the Guam Chamber of Commerce general membership meeting in Tumon, laying-out economic gains, challenges and what comes next. 

Wednesday’s meeting saw record attendance as the chief executive of the Government of Guam presented her address. The Magahaga opened by crediting local businesses for keeping Guam’s economy afloat through years of uncertainty.

"You kept your doors open, choosing perseverance when closing would have been easier," she stated. "You made payroll when certainty was in short supply."

The governor also said that shared sacrifice helped move Guam out of crisis mode and into a stronger position today. "Guam has moved beyond holding the line and into a moment of possibility," she said. Leon Guerrero pointed to hard numbers - unemployment numbers down to 3.2%, more than 6,000 jobs added since the pandemic and a turnaround from an $83 million deficit to a multi-year surplus. She also touted improvements in government operations like faster tax refunds, quicker payments to vendors, and stronger credit confidence.

"The ground is firmer. Financial audits are cleaner. And the institutions that underpin commerce, from our port to our utilities, are operating with discipline and foresight," Leon Guerrero noted.

Tourism, Guam’s economic engine, is also rebounding, she touted.  She said visitor arrivals are up nearly 29% so far this fiscal year, with more than $1.4 billion in business sales generated in 2024.

The governor also acknowledged recent high-profile closures, but said they reflect a shift in global tourism, saying, "Even in Hawai?i, one of the world’s most established tourism destinations, DFS is withdrawing. That does not signal the end of tourism. It signals a shift in what tourism demands. This moment does not ask us to defend the past. It asks us to compete in the present."

She added defense investment and construction continue to drive demand, with more than $5 billion in military investment over the past decade and Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz now operational.

But the governor warned that growth comes with pressure – on housing, infrastructure, and workers – prompting a push for federal support. She said, "This effort is about protection and fairness. It is about making sure that defense growth does not crowd our local businesses.

"It is about ensuring Guam has a seat at the table when national decisions reshape our local economy."

She also outlined plans to diversify Guam’s economy, from apprenticeship programs to high-tech manufacturing, including a new additive manufacturing facility expected to open as early as April. "This is how Guam competes—not by waiting, but by preparing," she said.

Healthcare was another key issue, with the governor reaffirming her commitment to building a new public hospital, while warning Guam could lose $104 million in federal funds if action is delayed. "Ten years from now, no one will remember the arguments. They will remember only whether we protected the capacity to care for our people," she spoke.

The governor closed by saying the success of the economy must be measured not just in numbers, but in quality of life, and that the work ahead will require shared responsibility from government, business, and the community.

She emphasized this point, saying, "People are wondering, what am I going to do in the next 11 months? They said, ‘Governor, you could probably start relaxing.' I said, ‘Hell no. We have a lot more work to do.'"