By Trina A. San Agustin
Variety News Staff

THE Guam Public School System is between a rock and a hard place because it is bound by a preliminary injunction to pay the $3 million in arrears to vendors before making any other payments, including those to the Guam Power Authority and the Guam Waterworks Authority which have threatened to disconnect utility services to GPSS.
Wednesday was the deadline given to GPSS to pay its $814,000 power bill and a $100,000 payment on a promissory note.
GPSS spokesperson Gerry Cruz told Variety that they received disconnection notices from GPA and GWA earlier this month.
“All together, GPSS averages $1.3 million a month in utility payments,” added Cruz.
The only way for GPSS not to face a penalty is if the Department of Administration makes the payment without Education Superintendent Luis Reyes authorizing it.
“We don’t want the attorney general to even get word that we authorized DOA to pay the utility bills. If DOA assists GPSS on its own, then that is welcomed,” Cruz said.
While GPSS central office employees are concerned about working in the dark today, they have another thing to worry about as GPSS owes GWA $95,000. GWA has also threatened disconnection of water services as well.
It was not known if the disconnection list for the agency included any schools.
In an earlier interview with Variety, Reyes said he cannot make any utility payments until the payroll vendor payments are paid off.