GUAM - Bordallo’s closed-door meeting with local Senators today didn’t yield many details of President Obama’s expected visit this March.
Although Bordallo couldn’t share much on the Obama trip, that’s not stopping Senators from pushing the issues they think the federal government must address for our island.
For more than a year, Senators Judi Guthertz, Rory Respicio, and Speaker Judi Won Pat have been led the charge on a host of unresolved federal issues affecting Guam – inside and outside the buildup.
They covered these concerns in a resolution presented to the President and Congress last year…aimed at clearing up land alienation, self-determination, economic disadvantage, and healthcare problems.
Now, these same Senators want to add issues arising out of the planned military buildup – like $2.3 billion in utility upgrades and a ban on land condemnations.
Perhaps the most important addition will be the concerns Guam residents have expressed during recent meetings on the Navy’s Draft EIS.
According to Guthertz, she and her colleagues have pursued this agenda from the get-go and the Governor and Congresswoman are simply joining a fight certain senators started more than a year ago. With a united Guam voice, the delay in the buildup is more likely than ever.
Guthertz is confident the new resolution will pass by the end of the week. She says, "You will see a Legislative position probably in hardened form, final form, discussed on Friday."
Won Pat speculates that the timing of the Obama visit appears to be a “game-changing” move to gain local support. According to Won Pat, "A lot of people and world leaders and people throughout the world are enamored with the President. It will definitely woo some people in terms of giving into his requests."
Story credit: Written by Jeff Marchesseault
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