By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff

THE booming real estate industry on Guam is an indication of an increasing population that must receive a corresponding increase in medical and healthcare services, said Peter Sgro, chairman of the Hospital Development Forum.
“The positive reaction to the Captain Company report is warranted since we have also seen the significant growth in property sales, the increase in approved residential subdivisions and condos, as well as plans for even more residential units,” Sgro said, referring to a recently released real property activity sales report which showed upward figures in real estate transactions.
Sgro said he recently visited the Sky Ridge Medical Center in Colorado, which he said is facing a population growth similar to Guam.
“Note, however, that like Douglas County in Colorado, part of a growing residential community also includes the need for the development of additional health care services to provide services for this increase in the population,” said Sgro, who leads a private coalition engaged in building a new 200-bed hospital on Guam.
“Like RidgeGate, Guam will continue to grow. The excitement of economic prosperity in the residential market must include, like other growing communities, the development of additional hospital bed capacity to meet the growing demand which, even at current levels, cannot be met, and must be part of any community in a state of such growth,” Sgro said.
The growth of Guam’s residential housing market and the development of new subdivisions are triggered by the expected military expansion on island.