Your tax dollars, the free lunch, and tourism and diary updates

Businesses receive SVO

Seven venues received a Shuttered Venue Operator Grant in Guam from the U.S. Small Business Administration (See Chart).

US Army budget pays for US Pfizer donations

Pfizer Inc. was awarded a $3.5 billion order for 500 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine “for the purpose of international donation,” according to the U.S. Department of Defense. The contract has an end date of Dec. 31, 2022. “Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation Army funds in the amount of $3,500,000,001 were obligated at the time of the award,” the release said. The U.S. Army Contracting Command of the Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., made the award July 30, according to an Aug. 3 release.

The free lunch

From Aug. 1, United Airlines will provide full meals in Economy on select flights to and From Hawaii.

For lunch and dinner, the airline will serve Hawaiian quinoa salad with grilled chicken, fresh fruit, Hawaiian bread and desert. Vegetarians can choose Hawaiian-style sweet potato and macaroni rainbow salad, instead of the chicken salad. Passengers on morning flights can expect a breakfast of fresh fruit, yogurt, a croissant and a granola bar.

The flights are on the following routes: Chicago-Honolulu, Newark-Honolulu, Newark-Maui, and Washington, D.C.-Honolulu, according to thepointsguy.com. 

Economy meal service on flights from Hawaii only will be served on the following routes: Honolulu to Denver, Honolulu to Houston, Maui to Denver, Maui to Houston.

According to the posting, other airlines began serving meals on the route earlier.

According to a July 28 release from United, the airline is now offering coach class passengers the option on select flights to pre-order snacks and beverages five days before departure, which it will expand to “all flights over 1,500 miles by early fall.”

NMI announces return to “restricted movement” for visitors

The Northern Mariana Islands have re-imposed restrictions on certain visitors – likely to affect independent business travelers from the U.S. mainland and other islands in Micronesia.

“Fully vaccinated travelers are able to quarantine with Restriction of Movement in the lodging of their choice after being verified for completing their COVID-19 vaccination and passing a lodging or household assessment. After notification of a negative result from arrival testing, “vax verified” travelers will have a modified ROM, which permits work and essential movement only with strict adherence to practicing the 3 Ws (wearing a mask in all public spaces) until they test negative on their 5th-day test.”

The Aug. 2 release from the Office of the Governor did not say how it will monitor the “strict adherence.”

In related news, an Aug. 1 release from the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. said six individuals tested COVID positive “through travel screening” at the Francisco C. Ada International Airport. The individuals did not report vaccination, the release said, but gave no indication of origin. They were quarantined and contact tracing began, the release said.

Korean visitors return to Guam

The first Korean visitors to Guam arrived on T’way Airlines on July 31 on a Boeing 737-800 with 52 passengers. T’way flights will arrive every

The low cost carrier’s arrival was confirmed by the Guam Visitors Bureau and the A.B. Won Pat International Airport, Guam (See various stories on www.mbjguam.com concerning the Korea visitor market). T’way flights will arrive every Saturday in August.

The first Korean Air flight will arrive on Aug. 6 at 1 a.m. and every Friday in August.

Jin Air will fly twice weekly on the Seoul-Guam route, arriving from Aug. 3 through Aug. 31.

The combined flights are anticipated to provide an estimated 3,754 seats into Guam through the end of August. More than 600 seats had been sold as of Aug. 1.

GPA shares coming rate increases

The Guam Power Authority has announced coming rate increases:

Effective Aug. 1, 11.38%; effective Oct. 1, 8.95%; and effective Dec. 1, 8.32%. In response to Journal enquiries, John M. Benavente said Aug. 2, “The total increase is approximately 28.7% on the total bill and is the bottom line ratepayers are typically concerned about. The percentage increase of the LEAC rate totals about 47.9%.”

GPA has about 52,000 customers.

Benavente told Guam Chamber of Commerce members at a July 28 membership lunch at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa that for GPA “55 to 60% of our expenses is related to the fuel we purchase.”

And also …

For your diary:

The Pink Ball Committee has advised that its gala to raise funds for Guam Cancer Care and Harvest House is re-scheduled to Sept. 11. The event will remain at the Dusit Thani Guam Resort and prices will remain the same – $2,500 for a table of ten or $250 per ticket. Contact [email protected] or [email protected]. See www.mbjguam.com for other community events in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Event news and updates can be sent to [email protected] for the Community Event Calendar.

The 32nd Annual Conference of the Association of Pacific Islands Public Auditors advises that 23 finance and audit courses will be delivered virtually from Aug. 23 through Sept. 3. Registration is free for insular government persons. Additional information about courses, instructors, CPE credit hours and local course times are on https://www.apipa2021.org.

The Guam Procurement Technical Assistance Center will offer live webinars in August.  Webinars run from 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. and will be conducted via Zoom. Registration is available at http://guamptac.com/news-and-events.php.

The Westin Resort Guam is bringing a Texas-Style BBQ lunch buffet to Taste every Friday in August, for $39 per adult and $19.50 per child, plus service. Various discounts apply. Contact Westin for further details. mbj