The Governor is urging the Speaker to act with more urgency on her bill that identifies a new site in Barrigada-Mangilao for a new hospital.

She submitted her bill for the site of a new “Medical Complex of the future” on Oct. 11 of last year.

It identifies 61-acres of crown land in Barrigada-Mangilao, not far from Leon Guerrero's first choice of Eagle's Field. A site that was ultimately rejected by a majority of senators after lengthy public and legislative debate.

Communications Director Krystal Paco San Agustin said, “We are pressing members of the Guam Legislature, most especially Oversight Chair Speaker Therese Terlaje to take action and place Bill-184 on the legislative agenda. In three months no action, just a back and forth between our administration and the legislature about where to build. And so Bill-184 does provide solutions. Our Governor has introduced not only short term, mid-term, but a long term solution to the Guam Memorial Hospital and their long term problems.”

Paco-San Agustin also added, “We're back from the holidays, we need to work. If the legislature says the Guam Memorial Hospital is a priority we need to place Bill-184 on the legislative agenda and get that bill up for a vote.”

The Governor has already worked out a deal with the Ancestral Lands Commission, but again it needs legislative approval.

Meanwhile, Senator Chris Barnett has introduced a competing bill which requires any future GMH be built in the village of Tamuning.

“But I want to encourage the people of Guam, I want to encourage members of the 37th Guam Legislature to stop being short sighted, to think beyond today's needs. What we're seeing is a growing population and by limiting ourselves to simply a hospital and to put ourselves back in Tamuning, to keep us in Tamuning ensures that we don't have room for growth,” Paco-San Agustin said. 

In a brief response letter, Speaker Terlaje wrote, “My team is working hard to get the committee report completed and voted on in order that my colleagues can consider its placement on the January session agenda.”

A rules meeting to set the agenda is scheduled for this week.

Session will be at the call of the Speaker.