Guam seaport GM asks FCC to deny GTA’s petition, or require substantial amendment

The General Manager of the Port Authority of Guam has written to the Federal Communications Commission requesting that the Emergency Petition filed by GTA TeleGuam be rejected or amended.

“GTA TeleGuam knows or should have known at the time of that filing that despite the damage done to the Port, the island’s only commercial seaport was able to open up 100% operational only 3 days after the storm passed with normal operations and normal vessel sequence within 4 days,” Port General Manager Rory J. Respicio stated in his letter sent today to FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “As such, the importation of goods and supplies into the island was not impeded. This was reported daily to all the media, on all social media accounts and via the Government of Guam’s Joint Information Center.”

[Editor’s note: The information in this article came directly from a news release from the Port Authority of Guam.]

Respicio is responding to GTA TeleGuam’s Emergency Petition WC Docket No. 10-90, WC Docket No. 11-42 and WC Docket No. 21-450 In the Matter of Petition of TeleGuam Holdings, LLC for Waiver and Certain Other Relief filed with the Federal Communications Commission on June 20, 2023. Specifically, the filing states, “The local commercial port that imports 90 percent of all goods entering Guam was hobbled by physical and structural damage from the storm, which has impeded the transportation of goods and supplies onto the island.”

“The statements by GTA TeleGuam are irresponsible as they create a false narrative about what really happened and this can have an extremely negative impact for the Port Authority of Guam in the bond markets,” Respicio said, adding that the false statements are an insult to the hard work of the men and women of the Port Authority of Guam who showed their true “Port Strong” spirit and their dedication to public service and commitment to our island community by getting our Port fully operational in only 3 days.

Respicio further told the FCC chairwoman that GTA TeleGuam’s FCC filing provided more false information about the overall recovery of our island that has been remarkable and swift under the leadership of Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and Lt. Governor Joshua Tenorio.

“When this Emergency Petition was filed on June 20, 2023, GTA TeleGuam stated that half of our island residents were without power and water,” Respicio wrote. “This is also a false statement as nearly 80 percent of our island residents had their power restored prior to the filing and the Guam Waterworks Authority had 80 percent of operable wells on-line and was producing approximately 33.8 million gallons of water per day which is approximately 99 percent of pre-typhoon production.”

Respicio asked the FCC to reject the GTA TeleGuam Emergency Petition or to require them to amend their filing and remove the false and misleading statements. Respicio also sent a copy of his letter to Paul Huntsman, the President & CEO of Hunstman Family Investments who also is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of GTA TeleGuam.

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Mr. Respicio’s letters to the FCC and to the Huntsman Family Investments president and CEO follow: