Welcome Aboard

Andrew "Andy" Perez

by:  Shannon Dennehy, Daria Jacobs, Laila Tovre

September 10, 2006

Pacific Times: Congratulations on your appointment. Shall we call you Andy? Andrew? or Drooh?

ANDREW:    Thank you Shannon. You can call me Andrew.

Pacific Times: You have been Publisher for a couple of weeks now, how do you like it?

ANDREW:   I am still in awe but I am honestly enjoying myself..

Pacific Times:   I think it's a great move to switch duties with Sonny; you running Pacific Times, Ms George and the other magazines while Sonny takes over the Native Tongue Language Series. What do you think?

ANDREW:    It was my Dad's decision to switch. I'm very happy to be a part of the magazines. I'm sure Sonny feels the same way

Pacific Times:  Your father is a Great man. He accomplished so much that most people in Guam can only dream about. What do you have to say to that?

ANDREW:   My Dad is a wonderful person. His mind is constantly at-work and his dream always evolving. I'd love to be able to add to his dream and his legacy.

Pacific Times:  As the new Publisher of Pacific Times, will you be introducing new ideas to the magazine?

ANDREW:  Certainly. I have some new ideas which I plan to implement. They are not radical changes but they will be positive.

Pacific Times:  You have anything in particular?

ANDREW:  Sure. I'd like to promote the magazine as an exchange site for all the islands in the Pacific. I want it to become everyone's daily information link.

Pacific Times:  That's a wonderful idea. Do you plan the same with the other magazines?

ANDREW:  Somewhat but in varying degrees. My dad wants me to work the magazines for at least a year before I can assume management of the other businesses. 

Pacific Times:  In a way, you are following in your Dad's footsteps. He wanted the same for those magazines but could never find enough time to implement them. With you and Sonny on-board, I believe the journals and the Language Series Network will take off.

ANDREW:  Thank you. The first thing my Dad told me was to bring our magazines to fruition and to continue the continuity. He wanted me to use all our resources to make the magazines become an institution around the world.

Pacific Times:  We know you live in Guam and work for an Off-Island Contract firm.  Will this be a problem for you?

ANDREW:     I don't think it will but we can take care of any problems that may arise. My dad helped me get this job so he has a handle of what I can do outside the norm.

Pacific Times:  How do you like being a Publisher of the magazines? You know you are now a very powerful and influential person in the region.

ANDREW:    I love it. Just this morning, I Googled myself and I came up as Publisher of Pacific Times.

    Pacific Times:  Really!  That means that Google has already included you in their data banks. 

ANDREW:  Yeah! I used to hate being in the public eye, but now I am enjoying it, especially if you're doing something good for people.

Pacific Times:  How are you with cultural tourism?

ANDREW:    I whole-heartedly believe in cultural tourism. I believe every person, every culture and every language deserve to be showcased for worldwide educational display. But - But, I want them to be showcased by the islanders themselves.

Pacific Times:   How do you mean?

ANDREW:    My Dad once told me that when he first came to Hawaii, he appeared at a few Kanaka Maoli functions. At those functions, he was asked to share his views about their movement. My Dad would always say that he is Chamori, a supportive island brother. He told the Hawaiians that while he stands in complete support of their cause, he does not feel it was his place to comment or advise them what and what-not to do.

Pacific Times: Are you trying to say that the magazine should remain objective?

ANDREW:    For sure!. If we are to effectively showcase our island friends and their cultures and their traditions, we MUST remain objective..

Pacific Times:    How do you propose to get the islands involved in our magazine?

ANDREW:  I plan to start a cultural round-table with representatives from the islands. I want their inputs and I want their blessings. 

Pacific Times:   Do you plan to keep the Jokes and the Pen Pal sections?

ANDREW:    Certainly. Island people enjoy the funnies. I've had people telling me to organize the island jokes into a book, which I am considering.

Pacific Times: You are single and a very eligible bachelor.  The island women will certainly be knocking at your doorstep.

ANDREW:  Yes! Unfortunately I am still not married. 

Pacific Times:  Do you have a lucky girl in your life?

ANDREW:   I'm not telling. I'd like to try and keep my private life separate from my business.

Pacific Times:   Do you have any aspirations for Public Office?

ANDREW:  Heck No!  Senator, Governor or any other public office do not appeal to me. I do believe in serving my people but in some other capacity.

Pacific Times:    Don't you want to follow in your father's footsteps?

ANDREW:  Yes and No. Take the ancient remains issue and the Bishop Museum. My Dad discovered the remains back in the 1990s. It took Ten years to bring our ancestors home. What frustrated my Dad was the fact that it wasn't the Bishop Museum refusing to retun the remains, it was the leaders of the Government of Guam and the CNMI not wanting to accept the remains. Yet they flat out lied to our people. Then the Governor of Guam forced the Navy to release excess land in Nimitz Hill to build a memorial for the Korean Victims of the Plane Crash, while our people and our ancestors remain homeless. 

Pacific Times:  I see what you mean.

ANDREW:  There are more and more issues that frustrated my Dad. The issue of land and how the federal government allowed the island bigwigs to steal them from our people.    

Pacific Times:  Would you like to address those issues in our publication?

ANDREW:    I would love to but my Dad advised me to let old wounds lie in peace. The people of Guam do not deserve to be saved. If they allow the island powerhouses to walk all over them, they deserved everything they get.

Pacific Times:   We hear that you coach a youth basketball team in Barrigada.  Is this true?

ANDREW:   I do.  I enjoy working with the youths in my village.  My dad was the same way when he lived in Guam. He was an umpire for baseball, volleyball and basketball.

Pacific Times:   Will you be focusing on these activities in our magazine?

ANDREW:    I'd like to. I have asked my dad if I could include a sports page in our magazine.

Pacific Times:   That's a great idea. Maybe we can do a quarterly story on the upcomming stars in the sports world, such as Michelle Wie in golf, right?

ANDREW:    Certainly. We have to encourage our young people to shoot for the stars.

Pacific Times:   I like that. We should collaborate on this soon.

ANDREW:  Thank you Shannon.