Economist: Guam needs to expand industries
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 05:21
by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff
“THERE has to be more,” University of Guam’s resident economist Dr. M. Claret Ruane said of the need to diversify the island’s economy and build further stability aside from deep dependence on the tourism industry, U.S. military presence and the local economy.
Ruane, alongside UOG president Dr. Robert Underwood, provided closing commentary at the recent Guam Community and Economic Development Forum: Strategies for a Sustainable Future.
“An event of this magnitude, which is an initial event, leaves a lot of questions unanswered,” Underwood said in his closing remarks. “The nature of the event is to find the questions that should be answered, and those questions are very deep and far reaching and they require a lot of data.”
Ruane discussed some components of “The Making of the Pacific Tiger: Lessons from the Celtic Tiger,” which was also co-authored by UOG’s dean of the School of Business and Public Administration Dr. Anita Borja-Enriquez, and current law student at the University of San Francisco’s School of Law Vanessa Lee Williams.
The six strategies proposed in “The Making of the Pacific Tiger” include the continuation of openness toward global markets and foreign investment; further investment in human capital focused on education, skill building and training; ensuring the availability of a creative and productive workforce; pursuance of public sector reform and fiscal discipline; engaging in effective policymaking to guide development; and enduring through hard work and sacrifice.
“This event has provided the opportunity to discuss issues and explore solutions. We are planning for our future together,” Ruane said, referring to the economic development forum. “The Guam economy has a lot of promise for growth but has not really achieved its potential since 1996.”
Ruane added that although tourism will likely remain a strong component of the local economy, it remains undiversified.
“This is a beautiful island with a lot of human and natural resources, with a lot of talent; and yet, not reaching its potential for growth. I think that’s a sad story to tell,” Ruane said. “We should be asking: What can I do to propel this economy forward given all the resources that we have and the resources that we can develop together?”
Discussing the issue of how to develop the island, Ruane said, “Whatever the answer is we have to do it together. We are a community.”
The UOG economist also reiterated the need to allocate resources in order to achieve initiatives such as cultural preservation and diversification of the local economy.
“Culture and environment are important issues, but they are a luxury. You need resources to protect them and preserve them,” she said. “If these things are important to us, they should be reflected in the budget. We should be getting resources to support these things.”
Showing posts with label Economic Development Forum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Economic Development Forum. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
‘Guam can be a Tiger economy’
‘Guam can be a Tiger economy’
Tuesday, 17 November 2009 01:42
by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff
WITH or without the military buildup, Guam has what it takes to develop its economy and the island must take advantage of its assets, according to an economic developer from Arizona.
Gayle Cooper, executive director of the Economic Development Group of Eloy, Arizona, presented “Guam: Making the Pacific Tiger” during the recently concluded Guam Community and Economic Development Forum, which provided possible strategies to improving the island’s economic landscape.
“One of the first things you learn in economic development is to know your client. If you’re a good ‘economic development’ person you never look at anything from your own perspective, you look at through the perspective of your client,” Cooper said.
“This island has such a golden opportunity with or without an influx of increased military presence. It is in the ideal situation for making the best of its economy right now,” she added.
Strategies for improvement, according to Cooper, include developing and educating local talent, attracting an educated workforce, partnering with others, accentuating strengths, and minimizing the negatives of cultural diversity.
Cooper warned Guam to be wary of “CAVE men,” which stands for “citizens against virtually everything,” and can be a destructive component against development.
In order to become the Pacific Tiger, Cooper said there must be an improvement in educational levels, comprehensive on-island healthcare, preservation of culture, good jobs and wages, and an increase in housing availability and affordability. While Cooper agreed that the preservation of culture is critical, it is but a component of the larger picture to develop economically.
“You cannot be single issued in today’s world. In a global economy you cannot be isolationists,” she said. “We cannot build a wall around the island. There is a lot changing. We are all part of it.”
“Anything that is not sustainable is not economic development,” Cooper said, adding that respective projects that do not promote economic, social, and environmental benefits for the community should not be brought to the table.
Additionally, Cooper stated that the island’s cultural diversity is “a big plus.”
“Cultural diversity as opposed to a truly homogenous society is a big advantage because it brings in many different viewpoints and it brings in the advantages that we have enabled through so many centuries of intermarriage and movement around our earth to bring people more and more to the best they can be,” she said.
The Arizona based economic developer said an undiversified economy and educational levels go together.
“It is evident that without the military and tourism there wouldn’t be a lot here. You have not capitalized yet on your military presence as you’re bringing engineers and companies that produce product and work with the military your economy will grow astronomically and the jobs will grow,” she said.
“However,” she added, “you need that educational attainment in order for those jobs to be built by the Chamorros and people who live here in Guam. The big thing is we haven’t challenged our youth to go for it.”
Tuesday, 17 November 2009 01:42
by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff
WITH or without the military buildup, Guam has what it takes to develop its economy and the island must take advantage of its assets, according to an economic developer from Arizona.
Gayle Cooper, executive director of the Economic Development Group of Eloy, Arizona, presented “Guam: Making the Pacific Tiger” during the recently concluded Guam Community and Economic Development Forum, which provided possible strategies to improving the island’s economic landscape.
“One of the first things you learn in economic development is to know your client. If you’re a good ‘economic development’ person you never look at anything from your own perspective, you look at through the perspective of your client,” Cooper said.
“This island has such a golden opportunity with or without an influx of increased military presence. It is in the ideal situation for making the best of its economy right now,” she added.
Strategies for improvement, according to Cooper, include developing and educating local talent, attracting an educated workforce, partnering with others, accentuating strengths, and minimizing the negatives of cultural diversity.
Cooper warned Guam to be wary of “CAVE men,” which stands for “citizens against virtually everything,” and can be a destructive component against development.
In order to become the Pacific Tiger, Cooper said there must be an improvement in educational levels, comprehensive on-island healthcare, preservation of culture, good jobs and wages, and an increase in housing availability and affordability. While Cooper agreed that the preservation of culture is critical, it is but a component of the larger picture to develop economically.
“You cannot be single issued in today’s world. In a global economy you cannot be isolationists,” she said. “We cannot build a wall around the island. There is a lot changing. We are all part of it.”
“Anything that is not sustainable is not economic development,” Cooper said, adding that respective projects that do not promote economic, social, and environmental benefits for the community should not be brought to the table.
Additionally, Cooper stated that the island’s cultural diversity is “a big plus.”
“Cultural diversity as opposed to a truly homogenous society is a big advantage because it brings in many different viewpoints and it brings in the advantages that we have enabled through so many centuries of intermarriage and movement around our earth to bring people more and more to the best they can be,” she said.
The Arizona based economic developer said an undiversified economy and educational levels go together.
“It is evident that without the military and tourism there wouldn’t be a lot here. You have not capitalized yet on your military presence as you’re bringing engineers and companies that produce product and work with the military your economy will grow astronomically and the jobs will grow,” she said.
“However,” she added, “you need that educational attainment in order for those jobs to be built by the Chamorros and people who live here in Guam. The big thing is we haven’t challenged our youth to go for it.”
Monday, November 16, 2009
H2 workers vs locals
H2 workers vs locals
Monday, 16 November 2009 04:39
by Jennifer Naylor Gesick | Variety News Staff
Full local workforce development nixed by GCA
WHILE the local labor sector pushes for the development of a resident workforce to meet the demand of the impending multibillion dollar military buildup, the president of the Guam Contractors Association expressed reluctance to prioritize such initiative.
As the University of Guam-sponsored Guam Community and Economic Development Forum wrapped on Friday, a startling comment by GCA president James Martinez sent a small murmur through the crowd attending the forum whose theme was a discussion of ways to create a sustainable future for Guam and island residents.
During the workforce development and employment needs panel, a debate broke out over prioritizing the use of H2 workers over the full-development and training of local workers.
While director of Guam Department of Labor Maria Connelley stressed the need to train and hire local workers for positions related to the buildup especially construction, Martinez said overtraining local people for the temporary construction boom would result in mass lay-offs when the projects are completed. “That is exactly what H-2 workers are for,” said Martinez.
First priority
But Connelley stressed that recruiting H-2s is the last resort. The labor department head reaffirmed the proper order in prioritizing filling thousands of jobs expected to be created by the Guam military realignment. “We will first hire locally, then people from the Federated States of Micronesia, then the U.S., and then H2s,” she reiterated.
Carl Peterson, chairman of the Chamber Education/Workforce Development Committee for the Guam Chamber of Commerce, urged full training and development of Guam workers.
He said his organization wants to see everyone on Guam raise their standard of living with this buildup. “We want everyone to take that initiative,” said Peterson. “We should be focusing on education so people can improve their goals.”
Project completed
Instead of laying off workers when the military build work is completed, Peterson said employers should instead focus on the permanent work that will be created by the largest such military realignment in the history of the U.S.
Retaining employees should be important, Peterson pointed out, because the military has stated they expect to create more than 1,600 permanent jobs on base, adding, “With the feds coming off base to pull your workers on to base, we need to upgrade and educate our current workforce and young people as young as middle school,” he said.
Hard to plan
Martinez said Guam needs a comprehensive study to establish a plan to know the employment needs of Guam.
However, Connelley said that would be hard to do, considering the clear lack of information provided by the Department of Defense, as recently cited in a Government Accountability Office report.
Guam does not have valid data upon which to draw effective conclusions, Connelley said, further noting for forum participants the lack of viable data also makes it difficult to pursue desperately needed grants.
Rising costs
Peterson said that island wages should increase due to a lack of workers in a range of industries as employees move from one sector to another. He said the inflationary impact would be felt down the line, but tempered his projection by adding that everything would level out eventually.
Mary Torre, president of Guam Hotel and Restaurant Association, said most of the concerns for her group’s members had to do with people moving into different jobs. But, she said, they are used to change because tourism is an industry that is in constant flux.
Monday, 16 November 2009 04:39
by Jennifer Naylor Gesick | Variety News Staff
Full local workforce development nixed by GCA
WHILE the local labor sector pushes for the development of a resident workforce to meet the demand of the impending multibillion dollar military buildup, the president of the Guam Contractors Association expressed reluctance to prioritize such initiative.
As the University of Guam-sponsored Guam Community and Economic Development Forum wrapped on Friday, a startling comment by GCA president James Martinez sent a small murmur through the crowd attending the forum whose theme was a discussion of ways to create a sustainable future for Guam and island residents.
During the workforce development and employment needs panel, a debate broke out over prioritizing the use of H2 workers over the full-development and training of local workers.
While director of Guam Department of Labor Maria Connelley stressed the need to train and hire local workers for positions related to the buildup especially construction, Martinez said overtraining local people for the temporary construction boom would result in mass lay-offs when the projects are completed. “That is exactly what H-2 workers are for,” said Martinez.
First priority
But Connelley stressed that recruiting H-2s is the last resort. The labor department head reaffirmed the proper order in prioritizing filling thousands of jobs expected to be created by the Guam military realignment. “We will first hire locally, then people from the Federated States of Micronesia, then the U.S., and then H2s,” she reiterated.
Carl Peterson, chairman of the Chamber Education/Workforce Development Committee for the Guam Chamber of Commerce, urged full training and development of Guam workers.
He said his organization wants to see everyone on Guam raise their standard of living with this buildup. “We want everyone to take that initiative,” said Peterson. “We should be focusing on education so people can improve their goals.”
Project completed
Instead of laying off workers when the military build work is completed, Peterson said employers should instead focus on the permanent work that will be created by the largest such military realignment in the history of the U.S.
Retaining employees should be important, Peterson pointed out, because the military has stated they expect to create more than 1,600 permanent jobs on base, adding, “With the feds coming off base to pull your workers on to base, we need to upgrade and educate our current workforce and young people as young as middle school,” he said.
Hard to plan
Martinez said Guam needs a comprehensive study to establish a plan to know the employment needs of Guam.
However, Connelley said that would be hard to do, considering the clear lack of information provided by the Department of Defense, as recently cited in a Government Accountability Office report.
Guam does not have valid data upon which to draw effective conclusions, Connelley said, further noting for forum participants the lack of viable data also makes it difficult to pursue desperately needed grants.
Rising costs
Peterson said that island wages should increase due to a lack of workers in a range of industries as employees move from one sector to another. He said the inflationary impact would be felt down the line, but tempered his projection by adding that everything would level out eventually.
Mary Torre, president of Guam Hotel and Restaurant Association, said most of the concerns for her group’s members had to do with people moving into different jobs. But, she said, they are used to change because tourism is an industry that is in constant flux.
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