Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero has launched a "full court press" to win support for a new medical complex in Barrigada.

She launched a petition drive today and has scheduled a series of meetings to personally pitch her plan.

All this comes ahead of an oversight hearing next week on a bill to authorize the purchase of the ancestral land site.

Governor's Communications Director, Krystal Paco-San Agustin said, "The creation of an online petition is just the beginning of her outreach efforts. Again we want to engage the community to learn more and to want more from our island's leaders and to want more for health care services. Again our governor is a registered nurse, so this is part of the greater vision and so the online petition is just the start of it."

The governor is scheduled to meet with a series of community groups, beginning tomorrow with Guam Memorial Hospital staff.

She will also meet with veterans groups on plans for a veterans hospital, with village mayors to discuss the importance of a more central location, and with the general public to explain why she disagrees with the medical community's preference to build at Ypao Point.

"I think what really happened is not enough information has gone out about why we need a medical complex, and what we've been hearing in the news, in the media, on the radio is the same doctors with special interests pushing their agenda, pushing Ypao point, limiting our beliefs to think that we only need a hospital and to put it at Ypao Point. So thats what Gov. Leon Guerrero will be doing addressing the community in person, she'll be doing that herself."

The governor just returned from a defense construction conference in Hawaii, where she also met with Indo-Pacom commander, Admiral John Aquilino to pitch her plan for a medical complex to serve the region.

The hearing on the governor's bill to purchase crown land in Barrigada is scheduled for Nov. 1.