Pacific Island Times September 2017 Vol 2 Issue No. 12 | Page 4

FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK
The silver lining
N
orth Korea “will be met with fire and fury
like the world has never seen” if
it makes any more threats to the
United States, President Donald Trump
warned Pyongyang during a meeting at
his golf club in New Jersey. Kim Jong-un
responded with a counter-threat to ignite
an “enveloping fire” of ballistic missiles
aimed at Guam.
The neurotic exchange of fire-for-fire
shenanigans between the two leaders
escalated for over a week. Journalists from
national and international media organi-
zations swarmed into the island, expecting
to find a terrified, panicked population
hoarding Spam and bottled water, rioting
for gas supplies and building emergency
shelters to prepare for the apocalypse.
They found nothing of the sort. In-
stead, they met smiling locals who
offered them kelaguen.
I met a few war veteran jour-
nalists who wound up filing
stories about Guam’s sunset
and white beaches — no fire
and fury — a disappointment
for any hardcore big city edi-
tor who otherwise gets thrilled
by news copy with details of
gore and human anguish.
What tourism bureau needs a
marketing scheme or media familiar-
ization tours when you have two belli-
cose talking leaders who unwittingly serve
to pull the world’s attention to an obscure island
often mistaken as merely a military post?
During his phone conversation with Gov. Eddie
Calvo, President Trump predicted Guam’s tourism
would go up “tenfold” as a result of North Korea’s
threats he had provoked. Thank you very much.
Gasp!
Anyone would be taken aback by such a cold-
hearted remark about a tiny island caught in the
cross hairs of a possible nuclear attack. But no
matter how cavalier it may sound, it was the bizarre
truth. The fiery and furious days of August piqued
the world’s curiosity that made “Where is Guam?”
and “What is Guam?” a trending entry on Google
search.
4
During a cruise in the Caribbean last year, I met a
young woman from Detroit who had nev-
er heard of Guam before.
“You’re just making it up,” she said.
I laughed and explained that Guam is a
small island in the Pacific.
“It sounds like Guacamole,” she added,
and then went on with a barrage of ques-
tions.
“Is it a poor country?” she asked.
“Not bankrupt like Detroit,” I said.
“Do you live in homes or huts?” she
asked again.
“Our homes are hurricane proof,” I
replied.
“Do you have McDonald’s?”
“Among other forms of modern
decadence,” I replied.
“Do you have Internet?” she
asked.
“Faster than most places in
the world,” I bragged.
The circumstance may be
deplorable but the North Korea
episode opened a window of op-
portunity for Guam to showcase
its tropical charm and hospitali-
ty, and to enlighten the world
about this tiny community,
where visitors are met
with warmth and
glee like the world
has never seen.
What tourism bureau needs a
marketing scheme or media
familiarization tours when you
have two bellicose talking leaders
who unwittingly serve to pull the
world’s attention to an obscure
island often mistaken as merely a
military post?