HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The six lots identified by Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero to be the potential home of a medical campus are Spanish Crown lands or nonancestral lands, and are not eligible for ancestral return, according to John Burch, executive director of the Guam Ancestral Lands Commission.
The governor identified six lots in Barrigada, totaling 61 acres, for the medical complex, and named these lots in legislation she submitted earlier this week. The measure would authorize GALC to negotiate with the governor for the sale or lease of the lots, as well as allow the agency to approve the sale or lease without needing additional legislative approval.
Speaker Therese Terlaje had said she disagrees with “the governor’s suggestion that attention be diverted” from immediate concerns at GMH, which include the deteriorating facility conditions and financial issues that initially formed the impetus for the emergency session.
As head of the legislative committee overseeing health and land, Terlaje said she will schedule a hearing for the governor’s bill so that ancestral landowners can weigh in on the removal of the selected lots from GALC’s land inventory.
But the lots included in the governor’s bill are considered Spanish Crown/nonancestral lands.
“Meaning they are not eligible for ancestral return,” Burch told The Guam Daily Post on Thursday.
“However, it is important to note that anyone can file a claim for property. … While the intention is to identify and exclude lots that could potentially have ancestral claims, the possibility of claims being filed cannot be entirely ruled out. However, for a claim to be substantiated, documented proof of ownership or rightful entitlement to the property is required. (GALC) carefully examines such claims to ensure their validity and legitimacy,” Burch added.
In terms of the six lots identified by the governor in her bill, GALC did review and clear the properties, according to Burch. This was based on available records and information, which showed there were no ancestral owners or claims associated with the six lots, he added.
The medical complex, inclusive of a new hospital, has been a top initiative for the governor’s administration. After efforts to lease federal property for the project fell through in early May, officials again found themselves searching for a place to house the complex. That search concluded in July, when the governor approached GALC with a request to purchase lots in the Barrigada and Mangilao area.
The GALC board authorized a survey and an appraisal of the requested property soon after, which are ongoing.
Claims found, change in acreage
Although the lots eyed for the medical complex now total 61 acres, initially, seven lots, totaling a little more than 100 acres of GALC property, were requested for the project.
It was discovered that ancestral claims were filed on one lot out of the initial seven, Lot 2481, according to Burch.
Although Lot 2481 is also Spanish Crown/nonancestral land, five separate individuals, possibly members of a single family, submitted claims to the Department of Land Management, asserting that their relative once occupied the lot, Burch said.
“However, upon reviewing our records, the Guam Ancestral Lands Commission found that these claims did not align with the information we had on file. We are currently in the process of verifying the validity of these claims and aim to resolve them within the next two to three weeks,” Burch added.
Burch said GALC understands the significance of ancestral claims and the commission is committed to ensuring a thorough and accurate resolution of matters.
“Our priority is to proceed with the properties that have been cleared and have no ancestral landowners or claims associated with them, while diligently addressing the claims related to Lot 2481,” he added.
Potential issues
While the six GALC lots that the governor is now eyeing are not eligible for ancestral return, that doesn’t mean there won’t be any debate on the location.
For example, Ypao Point in Tamuning has been the preferred site for a number of medical professionals on Guam.
The Guam Medical Association penned a letter to the Legislature on Wednesday, outlining its support for Ypao Point. These include the site’s close proximity to 90% of medical staff, infrastructure already being in place, and the site being larger in size than the current public hospital facility, allowing for expansion.
The governor’s administration opposes Ypao Point. The administration has cited various environmental concerns at the site, as one example. Ypao Point also falls under the Chamorro Land Trust Commission, which wants to lease the land for commercial purposes.
The site also is said to be too small for an entire medical complex. However, the medical association said it believes that only a new hospital is needed.
