by Michele Catahay, KUAM NewsTuesday, May 20, 2008 Subscribe to Michele's newsfeed
Guam Education Policy Board member and former superintendent of education Rosie Tainatongo admits that Oceanview Middle School's gymnasium was never condemned. There was confusion as to whether the gym was condemned by the Department of Public Works. It turns out there's no documentation to confirm such an action took place.Taitanatongo, who was in charge back in 2001, says an earthquake damaged the concrete posts, but conditions worsened after 2002's Supertyphoon Pongsonga hit Guam. It was then that DPW made the suggestion to rope off the area and have the areas addressed. "We were trying to get money for it, but apparently I'm not so sure what' happened. We did bring FEMA down to look at it because once the typhoon hit, it really made it worse. We were trying to find, but I'm not quite sure, because I retired after that. Why it never went through."According to our files Federal Emergency Management Agency didn't provide funding because the gym wasn't insured and didn't have typhoon shutters.