“We are currently in process of talking to our counterparts in Japan on the addition of $500 million more for projects in Guam,” said retired Maj. Gen. David Bice, the executive director of the Joint Guam Program Office.
He said political discussions between Japan and the U.S. on the relocation of the troops have been going on.
“The discussions will continue, but the fact that Japan transferred money for the United States for the transfer of the Marines [means that the realignment of forces will push through],” he said.
Bice said 8,600 U.S. Marines will be relocated to Guam in 2014 not 2012.
“We’re going to be relocating the Marines in what we would call a capability package. These Marines are in Okinawa. They are prepared to go at a moment’s notice to any crisis in the world. In fact, a large number of those Marines are already in Iraq and Afghanistan so they would not move in a large bloc. They would move in what we call as capability packages because they have to have a place to live, eat and sleep,” Bice said.
The environmental impact assessment for the military buildup project on Guam and the Northern Marianas is due to be completed this year.
Bice said the Marines cannot be transferred to Guam until the Futenma facility in Okinawa is replaced.
“Because the money has been flowing, I am confident that the Futenma replacement facility issue would be resolved,” he said.
“We have money from both the governments of Japan and the U.S. to begin construction this year,” he added.
He said there will be construction activities well beyond the targeted completion date of 2014 because of funding issues.
The Northern Marianas is hoping that the military buildup will revive its economy, which has been in a slump since 1998.
