By Gerardo R. Partido
Variety News Staff

The Guam Public School System yesterday managed to get a reprieve from paying off its payroll deductions, but it still had to contend with its power bill problem and another maintenance vendor walking out.
Guam Cleaning Masters, a contractor for GPSS custodial services, has suspended its services because it has not been paid $197,919 owed by GPSS.
Alex Thomas, owner and general manager of Guam Cleaning Masters, said that although GPSS has been behind in its bills for three months, his company has not suspended services until now.
“We need to get at least something for our hardworking employees,” Thomas said.
In addition to its vendor woes, GPSS is again facing the prospect of having its power cut off.
Yesterday was the due date for a $900,000 bill owed to the Guam Power Authority. But GPSS Superintendent Luis Reyes said his office had yet to receive funds to pay off this obligation.
“But we’re in constant communication with GPA and we hope to come up with an agreement or payment plan until we can pay off the full amount,” Reyes said.
February 28 was the deadline set for GPSS to pay off all its payroll deductions as required by the Attorney General’s Office.
For the past few pay cycles, GPSS has only been able to cough up the net pay of its employees because it lacked the funding to pay for employee deductions such as health insurance.
The AGO has warned that GPSS must pay all its obligations by today; otherwise, it may be subject to legal challenge.
But Reyes said Attorney General Alicia Limtiaco has allowed GPSS to submit additional documents until Friday.
Limtiaco has gone off island to attend to several attorney general functions abroad.
The net pay reprieve followed meetings called by Reyes with representatives from the AGO, the Office of the Public Auditor, the Bureau of Budget and Management Research, and the Department of Administration.
“These documents are related to cash draw downs and appropriations for fiscal years 2005, 2006, and 2007,” Reyes said.
To compensate for the withdrawal of Guam Cleaning Masters, Reyes said his office is developing a plan so that GPSS maintenance people can take over services at the affected schools.
Affected are seven elementary schools and two major high schools—John F. Kennedy High School and George Washington High School.
“GPSS personnel will take over temporarily just as we did when Advance Management Inc. walked out. But letting GPSS personnel handle the maintenance at these schools will stretch our resources because, as it is now, we need a full force at JFK for that school’s accreditation,” Reyes said.
One piece of good news is that Advance Management Inc. has resumed its custodial services to GPSS. But Reyes said Advance Management Inc. returned not because it received cash but because of a promissory note that was executed between the company and DOA.
“So that’s where we’re at right now. At least we’re making a good effort and we’re showing good faith. We’re doing everything we can to meet our obligations. We’ve caught up with two pay periods. We’re now only one pay period behind,” Reyes said.
Next week, however, Reyes said he expects GPA to give GPSS another disconnection notice.
Last week, GPA threatened to disconnect power to the public school system’s administrative offices.
GPA only allows a 45-day grace period for its customers and utility officials say they can’t treat GPSS any better than other customers because the utility has to be consistent in its collection policies.
“And by March 5, if we don’t make at least a partial payment to Xerox, we will lose our document copying services,” Reyes added.