Governor working to rally support for medical complex in Barrigada

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero is on a personal mission to rally support for a new medical complex in Barrigada. She began a "roadshow" this morning at the Guam Memorial Hospital, where she met with GMH staff to convince them that a new site in Central Guam is the best choice.

The governor is making the case that crown land in Barrigada is the best site for a new medical complex, and that a complex that includes other health facilities, is best suited for the island's future needs. She says a lot of thought and planning has gone into her proposal, and what she needs now is the people's support.

"We have a bill, 184, that's in the legislature, and like John [Burch of the Chamorro Land Trust Commission] said, it has to go through the legislature to buy the people's property or lease it," she stated.

"So please work with your senators and ask them to vote for Bill 184."

The governor has also been working her federal contacts for help with funding. Specifically she's met with top FEMA officials, who've told her there is money available should GMH meet certain thresholds. "They've done this in Puerto Rico, they've done this in the U.S. Virgin Islands, they've done it for hospitals and they've done it for infrastructure. So they're also talking to GPA and to GWA to see how we can get funding to harden more," she said.

The governor says she also has the strong support of IndoPACOM commander Admiral John Aquilino, who she met with last week in Hawaii, as she noted, "He's very aware, all the way up to the Pentagon, the Department of Defense, about our need for funding for the hospital. The assistant secretary of the Navy, Meredith Berger, is in close communication with me. She is the person in charge of all installations for navy bases, not just for the territories, but throughout the nation," Leon Guerrero said.

"Everyone that I'm communicating with is aware and they know about our need for the $800 million fund for the hospital. $800 million is the estimate that the Army Corps of Engineers kind of estimated, but I'm sure we can negotiate and again depending on cost of construction and labor and so forth...and that's why I'm kind of urging that we do this right away."

The governor will also be making her case in the next few days with local veterans groups, village mayors, and the public at large. All this in the hopes of ultimately convincing lawmakers to pass a bill authorizing the purchase of Barrigada crown land to build the complex on.

The public hearing on the governor's bill is set for November 1.