Friday, June 17, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
U.S. Senators Eye Increased Military Presence in Subic
Guam - Some U.S. officials are reportedly exploring the possibility of moving some U.S. forces from Okinawa to Subic Bay in the Philippines, and scaling down the move to Guam, according to a report on Inquirer.net.
U.S. Senators Daniel Inouye and Thad Cochran made a quick re-fueling stop on Guam earlier this week and then flew onto Subic Bay where, according to the Inquirer report, they visited the Subic Free Port and met with Olongapo Mayor James Gordon Jr.
Gordon told the Inquirer that the Senators wanted to see the success of the free port, which the U.S. left 20 years ago after the Philippine Senate rejected a treaty extending the stay of U.S. military bases in the country.
READ the report on Inquirer.net
The Inquirer raised the question of whether the U.S. is exploring the possibility of moving U.S. Marines in Okinawa to Subic Bay, rather than Guam.
But Outgoing Subic Bay Administrator Armand Arreza told the Inquirer that the possibility of Subic being an alternative site to Guam was “officially not discussed.”
However, the Inquirer quotes un-named sources as saying that Senators Inouye and Cochran "appeared to be interested in the possibility of an increased presence of the US military [in Subic Bay] ... they were curious about the reception in the [Philippines] of an [increased presence of the US military] here.”
Mayor Gordon told the Inquirer that he would "welcome" a return of U.S. Forces. "We want two economies here—the one that is free port-based and the other [which relies on support services] to the US military. They can coexist here."
Mayor Gordon said Inouye and Cochran also discussed the delays in the transfer of US bases in Japan to Guam, telling the Inquirer that the Guam build-up would be scaled down following the Japan disaster.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
White House Questions $320M Reduction in Guam Buildup Funding
In a Statement of Administration Policy on the National Defense Authorization Act, the Office of Management and Budget comments that "the Administration is committed to addressing the needs in Guam (both on base and off) to allow for the realignment of Marines and their families from Japan."
But in the Statement to Senate's Armed Service's Committee Chairman Senator Carl Levin, the Administration also expresses concern about with the $320 million reduction in funding for Navy construction on Guam. The Administration argues that deferral of fudning will only increase costs in the future.
The White House Statement was issued as the Armed Services Committee takes up consideration of S. 3454 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011. pacificnewscenter.com - Written by Kevin Kerrigan
Sunday, July 18, 2010
U.S. Senate Panel Cuts Guam Buildup Budget By 70%
The Senate Appropriations Committee voted to cut out some $320 million from the relocation budget in the 2011 Defense Authorization Act that covers military spending from this October to September of 2011.
The move follows a similar cut by a U.S. House Subcommittee which on Wednesday decided to reduce the re-location expenditure by 61 % , slicing off $279.2 million from the bill.
3 of 4 Congressional panels involved in screening the budget for the Marines relocation have now decided to cut back on the appropriation, and according to a Kydodo report, that raises doubts about the prospects for the relocation plan.
Kyodo quotes congressional sources as saying the cuts have been made because of delays in the preparations for creating an environment to host the Marines on Guam, as well as the delay in procuring the necessary land. .pacificnewscenter.com Written by Kevin Kerrigan
Saturday, May 15, 2010
No OFW deployment to Guam this year
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Guam Shipyard Gets $10.4 Million Sealift Command Contract
The ship requires maintenance and repair, as well as modifications including the installation of equipment and systems for operation by MSC civil service mariners in keeping with U.S. merchant marine standards. The modifications are to better equip the vessel for MSC’s reduced manning profile.Guam -
Guam Industrial Services, Inc., dba Guam Shipyard, Santa Rita, Guam, is being awarded a $10,404,769 firm-fixed-price contract for the civilian modification of the Military Sealift Command (MSC) submarine tender USS Frank Cable, which transferred to MSC operation on Feb. 1, 2010.
The ship’s primary mission is to provide repairs, spare parts, provisions, stores, potable water, consumables, and petroleum to the Navy’s submarines and other naval forces at sea. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $15,116,641. Work will be performed at Guam Shipyard in Santa Rita, Guam, and is expected to be completed by September 2010.
Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured; it was procured on a sole-source basis for the purposes of industrial mobilization. A pre-solicitation notice was posted on the Federal Business Opportunities Web site in order to provide public notice of the intent to issue a sole-source contract.
No other contractors expressed interest in this procurement. The U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command is the contracting activity (N00033-10
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Guam-Olongapo Center of Best Practices proposed
Calvo proposes economic think-tank
Thursday, February 18, 2010
APILG SPEAKER - Captain Ulysses O. Zalamea
Friday, February 12, 2010
Filipinos may soon come to Guam without US Visa
Resolution requests Philippine visa waiver
BY AMRITHA ALLADI • PACIFIC DAILY NEWS
Sen. Eddie Calvo had included language in Resolution 275 to fight for a Guam-CNMI visa waiver program with the Republic of the Philippines, a press release from his office stated.
The resolution, sponsored by Sens. Rory Respicio and Judith Guthertz and Speaker Judith Won Pat, reiterates that Guam's priority concerns on federal-territorial issues must be addressed concurrently with the military buildup. But Calvo has tailored the resolution to include the visa-waiver issue.
"So many of our people have family living in the Philippines who have a hard time coming to Guam because of federal travel restrictions," he said.
Calvo, a 2010 gubernatorial candidate, also added a provision asking the federal government to provide greater access to health care in Manila. Finding No. 9 of the resolution asks the federal government to reimburse Medicare and Medicaid costs incurred by U.S.-accredited health institutions in the Philippines for services rendered to Guam patients receiving care there.
Also as part of the resolution, the Legislature is requesting the following be honored:
The resolution will be sent to President Obama and Congress, according to the release.
Projected if H-2s work on buildup projects
Big losses projected if H-2s work on buildup projects
by Mindy Aguon - kuam.com
Guam - Vice-Speaker B.J. Cruz says Guam's economy stands to lose hundreds of millions of dollars if H-2 workers are allowed to be utilized for military buildup-related construction projects. Cruz has asked Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo to reconsider her position on allowing H-2 workers for buildup construction activities.
He told KUAM News, "I'm just asking that she reconsider the Abercrombie amendment, which is suggesting a 30% maximum of H-2 laborers, and if we reduce it to that amount then we'll have more money floating in the economy." He added, "If you're going to force it down our throat, then I want every penny that's absolutely possible to accrue to the local people."
Estimates in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement project that H-2 workers will spend about 20% of their money in the local economy, compared to 45% to be spent by workers hired locally. Cruz says if the H-2 workers spent at the same level as locally-hired workers, Guam's economy would benefit by approximately $368.5 million.
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I agree regarding H-2 vs. Locals. I couldn't imagine a local out there working with concrete blocks. Not just because of the heat, but if they make too much they might loose their food stamps and Sec. 8 housing. Better to play it safe and not work a "temporary" job and keep the food stamps and Sec. 8 housing.
What is wrong with BJ Cruz? First, he wants the entire $5 billion from the military build up taxed here in Guam. Now he wants 70-30 percent labor share of local/H2 workers for the buildup. Does he think he can gather 14,000 (70% of 20,000) local workers doing hard work in the sun? So easy for him to say, he doesn't have the slightest idea on this matter. Probably he still haven't recovered from that loss on his same-sex bill thingie. LOL
Can the kind Senator B.J. Cruz provide the number or percentage of "Chamorru" construction workers we have on Guam? This includes those who work in digging ditches, tie re-bar, masons, carpenters, plumbers, steel frame workers, pipe benders, metal formers, sheet metal workers and the like. Realistically, Guam does not have the skill labor for a great portion of these noted professions. Thus, the requirement for H-2 workers. Historically, locals only look for the comfy government jobs. They don't like digging ditches or getting their hands dirty and we all know this is fact! I can remember years ago when Filipinos held all the remedial and physical labor jobs, then the micronesians took these jobs. You would hardly ever see a Chamorru sweeping or mopping a floor or serving at a fast food place. It was just below them to do this type of work. I'm local, but I support the H2 labor. If the H2's aren't brought in to do the work, do you think the Chamorru will step up to the plate and dig ditches or tie rebar? I don't think so!