National radio show features buildup

National radio show features buildup

By Brett Kelman • Pacific Daily News • January 6, 2010

Radios across the country turned their attention to Guam for four minutes yesterday to tell listeners about the coming military buildup.

Public Radio International's "The World," a one-hour weekday radio news magazine, did a story about the benefits and concerns the buildup is expected to bring to this island.

"The World" is broadcast by more than 200 radio stations across the country and can be heard locally on KPRG 89.3 FM.

Although the report briefly recapped many buildup issues local residents should already be aware of, an off-island listener who has not been flooded with daily reports on the buildup would have learned a lot from listening to The World.

The report even mentioned public hearings on the draft Environmental Impact Statement that start tomorrow.

"Once this report is approved and signed off on it's an open license for the U.S. military to do whatever they want to do on Guam," said Sen. Judith Guthertz to "The World" listeners across the country. "So the only time we have to influence what will happen here and happen to us is now,"

The report also interviewed Joe Arnett, a member of the Guam Chamber of Commerce, about the buildup's economic impact and Guam Memorial Hospital Chief Planner William Kando about the demand for expansion.

University of Guam professor Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero said the buildup threatened local culture and Joint Guam Program Office spokesman Neil Ruggiero said the buildup was planned with the input of local leaders, according to The World report.

This is the second time concerns about the military buildup have been featured in public, national news in the last two months. In December, the Public Broadcasting System televised a documentary on the coming buildup.