According to GTA executive vice president of external and legal affairs Dan Tydingco, the governor sent two letters to Lawrence Strickling, administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, strongly recommending the funding of IT&E’s stimulus efforts.
IT&E received the $8 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding earlier this month to improve broadband services on Guam and Saipan.
Objection
GTA objected to the awarding of the stimulus money to IT&E, saying the funding would be an inappropriate use of public money since Guam already has an above-average broadband infrastructure.
“Use of public funds to duplicate network infrastructure is a perverse use of federal taxpayer money,” said Tydingco.
IT&E is currently pursuing an additional $89.6 million in stimulus funding.
Tydingco said the governor’s letters were not made public until recently, which he said only proves the lack of transparency surrounding the stimulus program. “GTA found out about the endorsement letters a few days ago,” said Tydingco.
Recusal
Tydingco said Camacho should have refrained from writing the endorsement letters or at least publicly disclosed that he would be lobbying for IT&E to avoid questions about any conflict of interest.
“It is irrelevant when Governor Camacho’s brother joined IT&E,” Tydingco said. “His office submitted not one but two letters to the NTIA supporting the company that employs his brother.”
Attempts by Variety to reach the governor or his spokesperson for comment failed.
Offered to all
However, in an article from Stimulating Broadband last week, Camacho’s spokesperson, Charlene Calip, was quoted as saying that the governor offered letters of endorsement to all applicants but IT&E was the only telecommunications company to accept the offer.
According to the Stimulating Broadband article, Calip also said she did not know if the governor considered recusing himself from participating in the application process.
Uncalled for
When reached for comment, Carlos Camacho, IT&E public relations and special projects manager, described GTA’s accusations as “unfair and uncalled for.”
Camacho, who has been employed with the telecommunications company since 1995, said he didn’t understand why IT&E was singled out.
“It’s a tiny island, you’re guaranteed to find a relative somewhere and it can’t be avoided,” said Camacho of GTA’s allegations.
Camacho said the governor would not have denied GTA’s request for a letter or endorsement. If the grant money will go towards improving conditions on Guam, Camacho said the governor would be fully supportive of that effort.
