Assistant Secretary of the Navy Jackalyne Pfannenstiel, who signed the ROD, said it symbolizes the beginning of “long-term strategic realignment of U.S. forces on Guam.”
“We recognize that there are issues remaining to be addressed and we look forward to working with the people of Guam and the CNMI to implement the military relocation in a way that will benefit the community at large — both military and civilian,” she said in a statement.
Joint Guam Program Office Executive Director David Bice said the starting point in relocating the Marines will be between 2012 and 2013.
Under the ROD, the Navy will construct the Marine Corps main base at NCTS Finegayan and family housing at the former FAA property/South Finegayen. The Marine Corps aviation activities will be at Andersen Air Force Base North Ramp and waterfront operations at Apra Harbor.
But the Navy will defer a decision on a specific location for a transient CVN berth in Apra Harbor and the proposed Air Missile Defense Task Force was left hanging if it will be established on Guam.
Contracts
Bice said Japan’s $498 million share in the buildup will be used first. The money will be spent within the fence and the Naval Facilities Command will award the contracts.
Actual construction is expected to begin early next year.
Among the first projects to be awarded are improvement to roads and the port of Guam.
“Projects on-base will begin slowly and will not ramp up until the necessary upgrades to Guam’s infrastructure are in place. The Civil-Military Coordination Council, which will be comprised of GovGuam, federal agency and military representatives, will work together to adjust the pace of construction,” JGPO said.
Training ranges, like Pagat, will be on hold pending consultation process with the public under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
The Civil-Military Coordination Council must be formed a month after Sept. 20. Its members will be representatives of GovGuam, appointed by the governor, and the military.
Bice said the buildup will bring economic opportunities for Guam and other insular areas in terms of labor and business.
Not pleased
Sen. Judi Guthertz, chairwoman of the Legislative Committee on Guam Military Buildup and Homeland Security, said there remains a lack of financial commitment on the part of the federal government.
She said thousands of people from Guam have expressed concerns regarding the buildup.
“I’m trying to be optimistic and constructive in order to make this buildup work,” the senator said. “The military has its responsibility in this, which is to get all of their projects going and completed and we have ours, which is to make sure that proceeds with the best interests of all the people of Guam in mind. That’s a ‘win-win’ approach that I’ve been pushing for a very long time.”
Sen. Tina Rose Muna Barnes said history is about to be repeated on Guam.
“It is upsetting to come to the realization that after all the town hall meetings, public hearings, and over 10,000 comments submitted we were ignored by the federal government,” she said.
“Guam is our home. And when people come to your home, you expect them to be respectful. So when you say, ‘You can’t come in my home unless you do this’ — you expect people to listen,” she added.
Sen. Rory Respicio recalled that in 1949, Guam leaders walked out during a negotiation process which they saw as adversarial to the interest of the locals.
He said that incident led to the signing of Guam’s Organic Act on Aug. 1, 1950 by President Harry Truman.
“It took an action of such enormous courage in order for Guam to be noticed back in 1949, but in 2010, a walk-out won’t work. Instead, we must stand up to the powers that be in Washington, D.C. We have to remain vigilant and relentless in communicating that we are relevant to the rest of the United States, we must be treated fairly and equally, and our federal government must remedy all past injustices (self determination, political status, war reparations, etc.),” he said in a statement.
