‘I am not a WESPAC member 24-7’

Guam Fishermen’s Cooperative president Manny Duenas said that, although an official of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council for the Guam Chapter, he is not a council member 24 hours a day.

Duenas said when he apologized during the course of the WESPAC meetings on Guam and Saipan in March, he was not acting on behalf of the council but as a Guam resident and president of the Guam Fisherman’s Co-Op.

Duenas said that when the Western & Central Pacific Network reported that a council member was meddling with cultural affairs, it was based on a misunderstanding as to his role on Guam.

The Network referred to Duenas as a council official when he apologized to the WESPAC.

Duenas reiterated that he was speaking only as a Guam resident and president of the Fisherman’s co-op when he apologized to the council for any “embarrassment” he may have caused WESPAC.

“I’m a resident of Guam and a U.S. citizen. I should have the right to speak,” Duenas said.

He added that he has filed a complaint with the American Civil Liberties Union because he claimed his civil rights were infringed upon by the Network who said that he cannot speak on behalf of the fishermen as he is a member of WESPAC.

“I’m only a member when I attend the meetings. I am not a member all day, every day. When I’m off-duty from WESPAC I’m Manny Duenas, fisherman and a private citizen,” Duenas said.

Duenas was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to serve as vice-chair for WESPAC Guam. According to the Network, once appointed, council members cannot after-the-fact disassociate themselves from their Council seats.

Duenas said that when he apologized, he was not admitting guilt.

“My announcement to the Council was to apologize for any misunderstanding, and not guilt,” Duenas said.

He said the Network “is wrong” for accusing him of meddling with local affairs when he is a resident and a president of the Fisherman’s Co-op.

He added he wants to make it very clear that, “I am Guam’s representative to the Council and not the Council’s representative to Guam.”

“I am the vice chair for WESPAC in Guam. Only the chair and the director can speak on behalf of the WESPAC,” Duenas said.

He added that the Network is wrong when it accused him of meddling with local affairs when he is a resident and a president of the Fisherman’s Co-Op.