This New Year’s resolution looks a little different than most for the Governor of Guam, who has the responsibility of leading the territory and fulfilling campaign promises as she closes out her second and final term. As Governor Lou Leon Guerrero prepares to pass the torch in the coming months, she spoke to KUAM News about her priorities and what still needs to be done. 

While public safety, health, education and the economy always remain top of mind, Leon Guerrero says her New Year’s resolution as her last year as governor is clear and simple– to break ground on the island's new hospital. "Of course, my biggest priority is the hospital, to try to work so we can use that $104 million and not have to claw it back, with the projects with GWA and GPA," she detailed.

Plans for a new medical complex in Mangilao to replace the aging Guam Memorial Hospital is currently tied up in court, putting $104 million in federal funds at risk.  The project was first announced in January 2023. 

For the past three years, it’s been met with pushback– from senators arguing over its location, Guam Attorney General Doug Moylan challenging the use of federal pandemic funds and to the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority’s misuse of its eminent domain powers to seize private land for a non-housing project.  

The governor blames the AG for the delay, saying, "It’s really a very, very bad and a disservice to the people of Guam where we could not move forward because of the AG’s challenges and obstacles in building this hospital. It’s totally unreasonable and no justification at all."

The clock is ticking for the administration to spend the American Recue Plan monies, which have been earmarked for the new hospital’s utility installation.  So what’s next?

"We’re looking to get some decisions from the courts so we can move forward with what we’d like to do, of course that is to have GPA and GWA," said the governor. "GPA , of course for building the substation on the land that was actually purchased privately. That had nothing to do with eminent domain. That property is where the infrastructure would be laid down. We just had a meeting and we’re looking to move that forward."

Utility officials can’t move forward with the procurement or construction process without the AG signing-off on their contracts, putting the funds at risk if contracts aren’t signed off by early this year. "Our legal people are trying to do another declaratory judgement and probably asking the federal courts for a status hearing, because we have not heard from the federal courts for almost eight to ten months since we first– since the first case was presented in federal court. And that first case was the AG’s claim that ARP monies were illegally used and that cannot be used until it is appropriated through the legislature, which is totally, totally wrong," she said.

As reported, AG Moylan won’t sign-off on the contracts for what he calls an “illegal” project. The governor made an attempt to get senators to allow her to bypass the AG's signature - which they struck down. 

GPA is suing Moylan, petitioning the court to compel the AG to assign a conflict-free attorney to sign-off on procurement contracts. "As soon as the courts make a decision and we’re able to lay it down or move forward with it, there are some other legal strategies that can be put in place," said Leon Guerrero. "We’re discussing that right now."

The deadline to expend the $104 million is December 31, 2026.