By Rory J. Respicio for Kandit News & Views
Mr. Charlie Hermosa recently shared his perspective on privatizing the Port of Guam. While I acknowledge his experience in the shipping industry, I strongly disagree with his view that privatization is the answer. His claims about the Port’s condition do not reflect present-day reality.
We recognize the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, our Board, our industry and federal partners, our Deputy General Managers and division heads, and especially the men and women of the Port Authority of Guam, including those who came before us and those who continue the work today. Our collective commitment to public service, grounded in the Port Strong badge of honor and courage, along with deep operational knowledge, forms the foundation of the Port’s success. Port employees deserve stability, recognition, and a workplace grounded in the standards we have built together.
The Port is not for sale. I wrote and co-sponsored, with Senator Tom Ada and others, Public Law 31-35, codified in 12 GCA § 10301. The law reads:
“Unless otherwise explicitly authorized by statute, the Board of Directors of the Jose D. Leon Guerrero Commercial Port is hereby prohibited from expending anything of value, either through cash or in kind, directly or indirectly, or executing any solicitations through the Request for Proposal or Request for Information, or invitation to bid consistent with Title 5 of the Guam Code Annotated, or to commission the development of a master plan, either through its employees, partners, or agents, exploring the sale or lease of the Port. Let it be known, therefore, to anyone contemplating this notion that the Port is not to be privatized, leased or sold.”
This law was enacted to safeguard our island’s critical infrastructure and to ensure the Port remains accountable to the people of Guam.
Now more than ever, the Port plays a vital role in our island’s economy and defense posture. As Guam’s role in national defense expands, the Port’s public status ensures steady support for military readiness and federal coordination. It also requires those federal agencies to help mitigate the impacts of increased military activity.
Under current leadership, the Port continues to make progress through sound management, fiscal discipline, and a shared commitment to employee well-being. We are financially stable and operationally strong. That may explain the push to privatize an operation that is already working.
We have used targeted public-private partnerships, through our Board, such as with the fuel piers, which are in early development. These efforts maintain full public ownership while drawing on private expertise for clearly defined projects. This is not the same as handing over core operations.
Privatization raises the real risk of job losses and the elimination of civil service protections that Port employees have relied on for decades. Wages at the Port are tied to performance and protected by law. Employees benefit from annual increments, out-of-position pay, and practical skill-based hiring. These systems are in place and working.
We also continue to address capital improvement needs through the same public structure. Over the past decades, the Port has secured major federal investments precisely because it remains a public agency focused on public benefit. That status gives us direct access to federal support and ensures long-term accountability, stability, and oversight.
As we celebrate the Port’s 50th anniversary, we are reminded that this agency was built by and for the people of Guam. The Port has stood strong for five decades as a public institution that supports commerce, national security, and regional resilience. It is stable, improving, and positioned for the future. The Port must remain in public hands, committed to its mission and the people it serves.
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Rory J. Respicio is the general manager of the Port Authority of Guam
