JOSEPH Guerrero, co-owner of Naked Fish Bar & Grill, is the new Saipan Chamber of Commerce president.
Along with the newly elected board members, he was sworn in on Saturday at Saipan World Resort during the annual SCC Businessperson of the Year Gala.
The new Saipan Chamber of Commerce president, Joseph Guerrero, delivers his inaugural remarks on Saturday in the Royal Taga Ballroom of Saipan World Resort.
Photo by K-Andrea Evarose S. Limol
In his inaugural speech, Guerrero noted how the hashtag “Marianas Strong” became popular after Super Typhoon Yutu struck Saipan and Tinian.
He said this “Marianas Strong” mindset is a call for everyone to dig deep down within themselves, lift their spirits, roll up their sleeves, and bounce back to pre-disaster levels.
As a result of the global Covid-19 pandemic, however, businesses are now struggling to stay afloat, he said, downscaling in unimaginable ways, and closing down either temporarily or permanently.
“It is truly the best time to reevaluate ourselves, our businesses, our relationship with our government, our relationships with partners and our customers, to reevaluate the impact our businesses have on our most precious asset…our island’s natural resources, [and] to reevaluate our business models moving forward,” Guerrero said.
“We must use this opportunity to not just pause and reflect…but to also pivot beyond resilience. We need to mourn and recover from difficulties by demonstrating our toughness as islanders first and as a business community second.”
Guerrero said he was born and raised to be an optimist, adding that his father also served as chamber president.
“I feel deeply that we are now at a point where we should be of the mindset of ‘Marianas Stronger and Better,’” he said.
As a member of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers, Guerrero said he is privileged to be part of serious discussions pertaining to the CNMI tourism industry.
He said “proposed changes in our tourism strategy are a key component to solidify this new mindset of ‘Marianas Stronger and Better.’ ”
“Do not mistake the easy flow of my words,” he added. “The work is right in front of us.”
This includes using newer and more appealing lodging amenities, dining and bar facilities, clean and well-maintained sightseeing destinations, more attractive personal care and other service businesses to meet the demands of “high-value visitors,” Guerrero said.
He said there is also a need “to share and display the Chamorro and Refaluwasch culture, language, music, history, and art throughout our businesses and organizations so that all visitors and residents can see them and feel the warmth, and be proud and happy to be in the Marianas.”
Guerrero said the transformation of Fiesta Resort is only the beginning, adding that Hyatt Regency is expected to pour substantial investments into its facilities once its land lease agreement is renewed by the CNMI government.
Moreover, Guerrero said “there will also be a push, sooner rather than later, for improvements to public infrastructure, such as the new Beach Road from the Pacific Islands Club to American Memorial Park which will include sidewalks, bike lanes, and other features that will make the roadways safe and attractive for residents and visitors alike.”
Also in the works, he said, is what will be an iconic structural road from Kingfisher Golf Course to the Bird Island Lookout.
There will be a much-needed facelift in the Garapan area, including a new pavement, sidewalks, drainage, street lighting, and regulations to hold establishments to a higher standard, as well as to provide a clean, safe, and attractive environment for both residents and visitors to shop, dine, and relax.
Guerrero likewise mentioned the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.’s plan to build a new power plant, Docomo Pacific and IT&E’s ongoing investments in telecommunications, and a new campus for Northern Marianas College that will educate future members of the local workforce as well as foreign students who are considered part of high-end tourism.
“These are just some of the few positive but very critical efforts that must continue to push forwards to be ‘Marianas Stronger and Better,’ ” Guerrero said.
