Fitial: No hope for jobless aliens

MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2011 12:00AM BY EMMANUEL T. EREDIANO - REPORTER FROM MARIANAS VARIETY

THE federalization of local immigration has made it worse for nonresidents especially the jobless who have now become “overstayers,”Gov. Benigno R. Fitial said on Friday.

“You and I know what is really happening. A lot of nonresidents are not working because they don’t have jobs,” he told reporters. “They are here because they still believe that there is still hope at the end of the tunnel,” he added referring to the nonresidents’ plea for improved status.

He said his administration has tried to tell nonresidents from the very beginning that it’s not going to happen.

“But nobody wants to believe me,” he added. “They are stubborn because they believe in someone. They should believe in something that is right, not in someone.” He did not say who that “someone” is.

The U.S. Congress, where lawmakers are “fighting over 12 million [illegal aliens] in the states, “is not stupid to entertain a few thousand [aliens in the CNMI],” he added.

“But I don’t blame them. Now, we have a lot of not only illegal overstayers but also unemployed overstayers,” he said.

He said his administration has the “numbers,” but these do not include those who came here pregnant.

“A lot of these people came in pregnant, just to deliver babies and become immediate relatives — we don’t know them. But we know they exist because they produce babies,” he added.

The governor said he continues to urge U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to start going after overstayers in the CNMI.

He said he asked ICE, “what is this policy that you cannot enforce on overstayers?”

Asked if he agrees with Lt. Gov. Eloy S. Inos who wants to give jobless aliens a 60-day grace period after the expiration of their umbrella permits on Nov. 27, Fitial said a lot of them have already been going home or preparing to go home because “they themselves know that they can’t have it.”

Visiting U.S. Interior Assistant Secretary Tony Babauta said beyond the report they were mandated by the federalization law to submit, they have sent no other communication to the U.S. Congress regarding the nonresidents in the CNMI.

Interior recommended improved status for qualified nonresidents, but no such bill has been introduced in the U.S. Congress.

Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan introduced H.R. 1466, but it grants CNMI-status only to certain nonresidents.

In related news, Fitial said his administration will come up this month with a directive that will allow U.S. citizens to continue hiring their caregivers.

He said the federal government has agreed to such an idea to address “one of those Johnny-come-lately issues” that was raised prior to the release of the transitional worker rule.

The governor said he has asked the Legislature for other suggestions regarding his proposed directive.

Fitial admitted he is also affected by the issue because he needs caregivers.

“I used to have two but now, I only have one,” he added.

Residents hope for Obama's reassurance

Residents hope for Obama's reassurance

By Brett Kelman • Pacific Daily News • February 2, 2010

The most important part of President Obama's trip to Guam will be what he says -- and what he hears -- about the coming military buildup, said the leader of the Guam Democratic party yesterday.

Chairwoman Pilar Lujan said the buildup is the biggest issue in Guam's future and Obama's opinion could have the biggest sway on the buildup.

If he speaks to Guam, the buildup will have to come up and residents will hang on his words, she said. Hopefully, Obama will hang on theirs, too.

"I think this particular issue has really brought out the people of Guam much more than any issue we have ever had before," she said. "It has been so divided among the people and I think that will really bring them out again to discuss it with the president."

She added later: "He listens. We hope to see that."

Obama will travel to Guam in March as part of a trip to Asia, according to a press release from Delegate Madeleine Bordallo's office. No additional details were available yesterday, said local spokesman Matt Herrmann.

It is unknown how long the president's visit will be or if he will speak to the public while he is here.

Lujan said, although his visit may be brief, she expects it to be very open.
The local Democratic Party will pursue details about the trip immediately so they can plan meetings with local leaders. She expects Obama will give a public speech also, like President Clinton did in 1998.

If Obama does give a speech, John Chargualaf, 26, hopes he will be reassured. If the president tells him the buildup will be good for Guam, Chargualaf will rest easier.
But today, Chargualaf is on the fence.

He knows the economy needs help, but he worries the population surge from the buildup could bring conflict and crime.

Many others are also unsure about the massive change, he said. Obama might be able to change that, he said.

"I want him to reassure us that it is going to benefit the island ... I want to hear what is his opinion on how military buildup will help the economy here in Guam. You know a lot of us, especially the locals, they are not all for it," Chargualaf said.

Natassia Nave, of Dededo, thought Obama could comfort those who were looking forward to the military buildup and those who oppose it.

Much of Guam is looking forward to the jobs, income and economic boost that the buildup is expected to bring, she said. Others worry their island will change and leaders don't care, she said.

Nave hoped Obama would repair relations with the new leadership in Japan while traveling in Asia. Yukio Hatoyama, the new prime minister of Japan wants to renegotiate the relation of military forces in Japan, potentially delaying the buildup.

"It will bring a better economy for the island of Guam ... but of course there will be a negative effect. There will always be negatives when it comes to the military coming out to an island like this," Nave said.

Like Chargualaf, Nave felt many people with concerns about the buildup just need to be reassured by Obama that this shift is in their best interest.

New study

Vice Speaker Benjamin Cruz sent letters to Bordallo and the governor yesterday requesting a brand new draft Environmental Impact Statement be created to explain the buildup.

The draft EIS is a massive study that details the impacts and possibilities of the buildup. The document was released to the public in November.

According to a press release sent out yesterday, Cruz feels it is "grossly inadequate." He said the document is poorly researched and some buildup actions may violate federal laws.

"The people of Guam deserve a document on the proposed buildup that reflects truly and accurately the enormous impact that the buildup would have on their lives and on their island," he said.

Comments on the draft EIS could re-shape the military's plans for Guam. Currently the public has until Feb. 18 to submit comments, but Cruz feels the window to comment should be reset if the document is re-written.

Calvo: jobs must go to locals

Calvo: jobs must go to locals

Tuesday, 02 February 2010 00:13
Variety News Staff

(CALVO-TENORIO CAMPAIGN) -- Careers for our people was the topic of discussion among more than 500 people, who came to see to see gubernatoirla hopeful Sen. Eddie Calvo and his running mate Ray Tenorio at their latest meeting in Barrigada.

“You can count on us to be there and listen to your issues and concerns,” Calvo said. “Every time we speak directly with people, we hear about the struggles and frustrations families have. This drives us to help in any way we can.”

The conversation focused on the team’s vision for a successful and sustained economic future. Both men stress the coming military buildup is only a narrow part of the opportunity the island has to build a new, bright economy.

“Our people have shown their hard work and dedication time and time again, and that’s why they deserve the jobs of the future,” Calvo said.

“Our leaders have an opportunity to make that happen. If we seize this opportunity, we will not just have good times in the next few years, but Guam will have good times when your children are adults, and better times when your children’s children grow up.”

“There are a lot of people really struggling. We have neighbors that work two jobs just to put food on the table and keep a roof over our heads,” Tenorio said. “We want to give the best to our people – the best jobs, the best education, and the best healthcare, because that’s what you deserve, and that’s what you’ll get. This team is about the island we love and the future we want our children to be a part of.”

US military buildup in Guam

US military buildup in Guam

The U.S. military plans to redeploy thousands of Marines and their families to Guam from the Japanese island of Okinawa.

Story by Akiko Fujita for PRI's "The World"

The population of Guam is expected to increase by 50 percent in the next four years. That's because the U.S. military plans to redeploy thousands of Marines and their families from the Japanese island of Okinawa. The move could bring an economic boom to the Pacific island but it threatens to strain Guam's infrastructure.

The US and Japan agreed to the troop transfer three years ago, to reduce US troop presence in Okinawa.

Joe Arnett with the Guam Chamber of Commerce says the move will transform the island. "This investment into Guam in unprecedented. Guam has never seen this level of investment into the island ever before."

Arnett expects the military buildup to create 30,000 new jobs on the island. Many will be temporary construction jobs filled by foreign workers. But Arnett says high paying; permanent jobs will stay in the community.

It sounds like a good opportunity for an island struggling with eight percent unemployment. But Senator Judi Guthertz says Guam isn't ready to shoulder the load.

"We're not going to be ready unless resources are made available to the civilian community," said Guthertz.

Guthertz oversees the legislative committee for the military buildup. She supports the Marine transfer, but says the American government isn't doing enough to support Guam.

While the US and Japan has pledged 10 billion dollars for the buildup itself, they haven't guaranteed large investments in the civilian communality. Guthertz says that's a concern in light of a recent environmental impact statement. It said the buildup will attract tens of thousands to the island, perhaps as much as a 50 percent jump in a few years.

Guthertz says the US government isn't playing fair, because Guam is only a US territory. "We don't vote for presidents, we don't have voting representatives in the Senate, we have a non-voting delegate to the US Congress. So our political rights are frankly quite limited."

Guam's problems boil down to infrastructure. The waste water treatment plant can't handle a large population. The roads aren't wide enough to handle many cars. There is just one port and the shipments there are expected to jump from 100,000 containers to 600,000 in just a few years.

At Guam Memorial Hospital, the island's only civilian hospital, chief planner William Condo [PH] says he's already near capacity. "We know that we are not big enough right now to not only handle the population for normal operations, but what if a major disaster happens?"

The military already owns a third of the island, and the Marines aren't the only unit expanding. The Army is building a missile defense system; the Air Force is adding more drones; the Navy is expanding its port to house more aircraft carriers.

Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero teaches at the University of Guam. She says the buildup threatens the native Chamorro culture that dates back four thousand years. She's rallying the community to oppose the military's plans.

"A lot of Chamorro families will be losing their land," said Leon Guerrero. "There will be 2,300 acres of land taken for this military build up if their plans go accordingly."

The military government says it’s sensitive to the community's concerns. Public Affairs Officer, Captain Neal Ruggiero says the Defense Department has consulted the governor, legislators and community leaders throughout the process. He also says the government is securing funds to help improve the island's infrastructure.

Senator Guthertz says Guam didn't have a say in the decision to bring Marines to the island, but the community can speak out next month. The military will host public hearings on their proposed plans before signing off on Guam's future.

"One this report is report and signed off on, it's an open license for the United States military to do whatever they want to do on Guam," said Guthertz. "So the only time we have to influence what will happen here, and happen to us, is now."

PRI's "The World" is a one-hour, weekday radio news magazine offering a mix of news, features, interviews, and music from around the globe. "The World" is a co-production of the BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH Boston.

Group tries to reveal buildup's hidden truths

Group tries to reveal buildup's hidden truths

Posted: Jan 03, 2010 10:47 PM PST
by Nick Delgado

Guam - The island will see an increase in hundreds of jobs during the construction phase of the Marines' relocation from Okinawa to Guam. But many residents are unaware of the negative hindering truths that would accompany the economic boom.

The rise and fall of employment opportunities has become the latest concern when it comes to the military buildup and the draft environmental impact statement. "In the document itself it addresses that issue, an economic boom in the beginning and then there will be a drop-off when all these people leave. It actually addresses the issue as pushing the lower-class of society to an even lower class and into a deeper state of poverty," proclaimed Melvin Won Pat Borja.

Borja is an educator and one of the organizers for a group called We Are Guahan, and said, "We basically assembled a team or people to help read the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, translate the findings and disseminate them to the public...it's really difficult for members of the community to comment on it if we don't understand what is in the document itself. Our major goal is to get that information out to the people when they do decide to comment."

The DEIS states a needed increase of 307 law enforcement personnel for Guam Police, Guam Fire, the Department of Corrections and the Department of Youth Affairs combined by 2014. A number, which is predicted to be cut by half once the buildup, is complete. It's an even bigger issue for the island's public health services as the DEIS calls for an additional 245 medical personnel, also dropping once the relocation settles.

Said Borja, "They propose about nine new doctors when it comes to the increase of healthcare facilities and personnel. Nine doctors for 80,000 people."

The DEIS also states that during the construction phase of the relocation, the proposed number of education staff would be just above six hundred workers, then greatly reducing to just a hundred and forty-eight staff members when the buildup is finished. "In the DEIS it does talk about the impact on our school system it's something that I'm definitely concerned about there's about a 20% increase in public school population," he said.

While Borja says the DEIS admits to an increase in cost of living before an actual increase in living wages, he says that he along with the We Are Guahan team, he will continue to work to ensure that local residents are able to make the decisions that affect Guam's future. "We want to be able to be in the conversation. We want to be able to represent ourselves, our people, as part of the decision making process. We should have a voice," he said.

House approves conference report

House approves conference report

Posted: Dec 12, 2009 1:41 PM
Updated: Dec 12, 2009 1:41 PM

by Michele Catahay

Guam - The U.S. House of Representatives approved the conference report to H.R. 3288, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2010. The passage nearly completes Congress's work on appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2010. H.R. 3288 appropriates approximately $737 million for Guam in military construction funding for Fiscal Year 2010.

This is the full amount authorized by Congress in Public Law 111-84. It contains $49 million for the first of road investments from the Department of Defense and another $259 million for the first phase of the construction of a new Naval Hospital in Agana Heights. According to Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo, the funding will bring economic activity and will create jobs for our local workforce.

It also includes $30 million for the construction of a new Guam National Guard Readiness Center and other funding for the University of Guam, Sanctuary, the Guam International Airport and for Guam water utilities.

Opinions vary on military buildup

Opinions vary on military buildup

By Amritha Alladi • Pacific Daily News • November 24, 2009

As details of the proposed military buildup emerge, Guam residents continue to be at odds about whether it will bring more benefits than harm to the island.

Some of the island's residents shared some of their concerns and expectations yesterday as the draft Environmental Impact Statement, released by the Defense Department on Friday, outlines how the military expansions might mean to the host community.

Some residents living near the proposed site for the Marine base and housing complex in Dededo said the plentiful job opportunities will boost the island's economy and thus, reduce crime; others said they fear traffic congestion and crime will increase.

According to Dededo Mayor Melissa Savares, only one person had visited her office to look at the document as of yesterday morning.

The draft EIS indicates that 33,000 new jobs will be created by 2014, and the island will generate $325 million in revenue that year alone.

However, Dededo resident Marina Camacho, 59, said the island's economy has managed to stay afloat until now and it isn't in need of a military buildup to save it from sinking.

"We can still survive," she said.

Her nephew, 48-year-old John Babauta, said he is worried that the increased military activity on Guam will make the island a potential target for foreign attacks.

Neither Camacho nor Babauta has seen the EIS or has plans to do so.

Babauta said he feels the EIS is just for show. If the Department of Defense really valued residents' comments, they would have taken residents' concerns into account about five years ago, he said. The EIS process does give Guam residents 90 days to comment before the buildup plans are finalized.

"They own Guam," Babauta said of the military. "It's already a done deal."

A major component of the buildup is the proposal to move more than 8,000 Marines and 9,000 of their dependents from Okinawa to Guam.

"The problems that Okinawa sees, the same thing will happen here," he added. Babauta said the local government should learn from the Japanese leadership's desire to remove the American military presence from Okinawa altogether.

The Agence France Presse reported last week that members of the Japanese coalition, including newly elected Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, are suggesting the possibility of moving the entire Futenma base off of Okinawa altogether. Guam and Iwo To -- the former Iwo Jima -- have been suggested by Japanese officials as possible locations to shift the remaining American troops.

"The base, unpopular because of aircraft noise and the risk of accidents, is due to be moved from an urban to a coastal area by 2014 -- but Hatoyama has said the base may have to be moved off Okinawa or even out of Japan," according to the AFP report. "Okinawans have long complained about the burden of hosting more than half of the 47,000 U.S. troops based in the country, and residents have been angered especially by crimes committed by American servicemen in the past."

Yet Simon Sanchez, chairman of the Consolidated Commission on Utilities, said the idea that more U.S. troops will be moved from Japan to Guam -- in addition to the current 8,000 Marines who are being relocated under the current plan -- is only speculative. During his discussions with Joint Guam Program Office officials, there has been no mention of such additional relocation, and the draft EIS further confirms only a partial relocation of Marines from Okinawa to Guam, he said.

But Marilyn Tablante, a staff employee at the Dededo Mayor's Office, said she wouldn't mind an increased military presence on the island.

She added that those residents who have not looked into the EIS yet should take the time to do so because it provides a clear picture of how Guam will change as a result of the buildup.

"Tell them to read all of this," she said pointing to the binders filled with the 8,000 pages of the EIS. "They might change their mind."

If more people are employed by jobs created by the buildup, crime would actually decrease on the island, she said.

"The crime rate will go down because they will have a job," she said.

Keekah Mendiola, an employee at the R.S. Taitano convenient store in Dededo, said she, too, felt the positive impact of the buildup will far outweigh its negative effects.

"Look at how many people are losing their jobs," she said. Those people who are currently using federal welfare assistance may not have to do so anymore, she said.

Additionally, 28-year-old Rolly Nicolas, also a Dededo resident, said the shift of more U.S. troops to Guam would actually give the island more protection.

EIS: 33,000 new jobs by 2014

EIS: 33,000 new jobs by 2014

By Laura Matthews • Pacific Daily News • November 23, 2009

Guam's unemployment rate will drop by more than half in 2014 as the buildup creates thousands of jobs, according to the draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed, multibillion-dollar military expansions on the island.

With more people paying income taxes, and as businesses pay more taxes and fees, the draft Environmental Impact Statement estimates that government of Guam will generate $325 million in 2014 revenue alone -- an increase of about 60 percent of its current annual budget.

In the recently published Defense Department document, which contains thousands of pages, Guam's unemployment rate is assumed to fall to 4.0 percent when Guam residents and off-islanders start taking on jobs associated with the military buildup.

The unemployment rate was last recorded in September 2007 and is estimated to be 8.3 percent, according to the document.

Guam's population is expected to soar -- with 79,178 additional people in 2014. That is approximately half of the current population.

The buildup, according to the EIS, may include the relocation of 8,600 Marines and their 9,000 dependents from Okinawa to Guam. An Army ballistic missile defense facility and a facility for recurring visits of an aircraft carrier are included in the proposed expansions.

The quality of life for many residents will improve as the buildup is projected to provide approximately 33,000 jobs for civilian workers at the 2014 peak, according to the draft EIS. An additional 6,150 jobs will be provided on a "more permanent basis" thereafter.

Guam residents are estimated to occupy about 2,000 direct on-site construction jobs for the Marine Corps facilities between 2013 and 2014.

Similarly, excluding direct on-site military construction, residents are expected to capitalize on 2,566 jobs during the 2014 construction boom. The related jobs "include civilian military jobs, direct from purchases jobs and indirect or induced jobs."

An additional 2,211 jobs will be made available by 2020 for Guam residents, as the 15,157 jobs that will be occupied by off-islanders during the boom, will decrease to 3,935 that year, as estimated by the EIS.

The EIS estimates that the increase in buildup economic activities will generate tax revenues for GovGuam worth about $97 million a year after 2014. These revenues will be collected through gross receipts, corporate income and personal income taxes.

Salaries to increase

The average full-time salary -- including those that are indirect jobs -- during both the construction and operational phases, will increase in tandem with the demand for labor.

The EIS states Guam incomes will rise and the average full-time salary for jobs within the construction phase would increase to $33,500, up from the 2007 average of $28,150. This is because there will be more "higher-paying jobs in the architecture and engineering, wholesale trade, and health services industries."

The full-time salary for jobs during the military operational phase would rise to $40,000. It was $28,150 in 2007.

Only about 25 percent of civilian military jobs are expected to be filled by current Guam residents, the document said.

Residents have until Feb. 17, 2010, to provide feedback on the draft EIS for it to be finalized and put into action.

Report: 1,600 civilian jobs with buildup

Report: 1,600 civilian jobs with buildup

By Steve Limtiaco • Pacific Daily News • October 16, 2009

The military buildup is expected to create at least 1,600 full-time civilian jobs on Guam to support the Marines, Air Force and Navy, according to a labor report released yesterday by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

The Army also will need full-time civilian workers, the report states, but no estimates are available.

The military plans to transfer about 8,000 Marines and 9,000 dependents from Okinawa to a new base on Guam by 2014 as part of a military buildup that also will see increases in Air Force, Navy and Army activity on the island.

The Marine Corps, which is expected to hire the bulk of those civilian workers -- at least 1,450 -- believes most of those jobs need to be filled by Guam residents "because the officials do not think that many current employees will move from Okinawa," the report states.

The number and types of jobs required could remain sketchy until next January, the report states, when the military finalizes the buildup's environmental impact statement. That statement is expected to include an analysis of the buildup's socioeconomic impact.

Information needed

The report notes that the University of Guam believes the military will need qualified engineers and is considering setting up a new engineering program -- a process that could take three years.

But the university needs better information about the types of jobs and when they will be needed, the report states.

The Defense Department needs to keep Guam's government and educational community better informed about the labor requirements and opportunities that will be created on the island, the report states.

"Without this information, the government of Guam may be challenged to effectively plan for potential jobs that support the buildup and future continuing military presence, including the ability to train and prepare individuals so they qualify for these jobs," it said.

The transfer of the Marines would be a huge economic boon for Guam, if it's prepared to handle the influx and all the jobs the move will create.

It's estimated the move will cost $15 billion or more and will generate as many as many as 20,000 construction jobs during peak phases, GAO determined.


Basic infrastructure construction is scheduled to begin next year, and lawmakers want as many as possible of the jobs to go to American workers. A provision in the recently passed Defense Authorization bill contains provisions that promote the hiring of American labor.

Specifically, the bill:

# Requires that contractors advertise for and recruit American workers before foreign workers can be hired;

# Gives the Labor Department broad oversight authority over contractors; and

# Mandates that Guam's prevailing wages be reassessed and, if necessary, readjusted so they're more aligned with mainland pay. This would discourage importing foreign workers.

The Pentagon replied to the GAO report, saying, "It is the department's intent to provide the maximum advance information to the government of Guam."

It added, "The DOD will identify federal civilian and contractor support positions as they become known to assist the government of Guam in the planning for the necessary adjustment in local facilities and public services, workforce training programs and local economic development activities."

The Guam Military Buildup by Congressman Neil Abercrombie

By Neil Abercrombie
July 11, 2009

Some in Guam have expressed strong opposition to provisions in the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act, passed overwhelmingly this week by the U.S. House, concerning military construction in Guam.

The measure authorizes a multi-year, multi-billion dollar building program to construct a new home for the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Forces and elements of other units stationed on the island of Okinawa and in mainland Japan for many years. This means building permanent military facilities to accommodate about 8,000 military personnel and as many as 9,000 family members. The move is the result of a lengthy and detailed agreement between the United States and Japan, under which the U.S. will pay about 40% of the cost.

When Members of the House Armed Services Committee considered the matter, we had two aims: 1.) to assure our men and women in uniform and their families high quality, comfortable and durable buildings and facilities in a secure environment in which they can work, train and live, and 2.) create stable, well-paid jobs for skilled American building and construction workers to replace some of the thousands of jobs lost in this economic recession,.

This five-year project will require 15,000 or more construction workers. Thousands will have to be recruited to relocate to supplement the local workforce. The legislation reserves 70% of those jobs for American workers.

My ideal for the quality of housing and facilities we want on Guam are the military construction projects in Hawaii and across the country through public-private joint ventures, in which companies win multi-year contracts to build, maintain, repair and manage family housing and other structures on a base. The company builds out the project and makes its money from the Basic Allowance for Housing paid by the military families who live in the housing. In Hawaii, we negotiated 50-year agreements with our construction companies at Schofield Barracks, Hickam Air Force Base, Pearl Harbor Naval Station and Marine Base Kaneohe. The product and the process have been widely praised by military families and military leaders.

Wages should be commensurate with the experience and skills of the building trades workers who can provide the quality construction our military personnel deserve. The legislation established wages at the level for similar projects in Hawaii, the closest U.S. labor market. Guam’s prevailing wage is significantly less than most U.S. labor markets; its tax base is limited; and its workforce has only a fraction of the trained and skilled people needed for this job.

The alternative is to outsource to Japanese companies that will bring in foreign workers, for which the Guam government collects a bounty of $1000 per head. This will open the door to profiteering and continued wage bondage, and be a slap in the face of every qualified, unemployed American worker.

Relocating thousands of military personnel and their families is a massive undertaking, and will dramatically alter Guam’s future. Building a new military base from scratch will take several years and billions of dollars. The project will offer thousands of local jobs, thousands more from outside, create opportunities for local small businesses and transform the economy of the island. It is also a singular opportunity to put Americans to work, in an American territory, building America’s future in the Pacific region. Economic security and national security go hand in hand.

What's Behind Abercrombie's Ammendment?

What’s behind the Abercrombie amendment?
Sunday, 12 July 2009 23:49 by Jayne Flores
The Marianas Variety

It’s a trade off: the long-awaited payment of war reparations to our dwindling number of survivors of the Japanese occupation, for a Hawaii-based wage rate for the buildup.

That seems to be the most logical reason behind Hawaii Rep. Neil Abercrombie’s two additional amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010.

Abercrombie is running for governor, and if he can boost his state’s struggling economy by giving construction workers jobs on Guam that pay just as much as if they were working in Hawaii, it would be a large feather in his political cap. It’s a cap that, according to a candidate watchdog web site, has been paid for with contributions from the likes of Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, and 21st Century Systems, all military contractor heavyweights.

On the other side, we’re getting to the point that if we don’t settle this war claims issue soon, there won’t be any WWII survivors left to receive the money.

Abercrombie’s first amendment requires that Hawaii construction wage rates, which are approximately double what construction workers on Guam are paid, will apply to all build-up related projects funded with money specifically earmarked for the build-up.

The second amendments says that not more than 30 percent of the total hours worked per month on a buildup construction project may be performed by foreign workers, or workers holding temporary work visas.

So we’ve now got requirements that the Defense Department has to pay everyone who works on a buildup project those high Hawaii wage rates, and on each of the jobs, 70 percent of the work hours have to be worked by U.S. workers.

Obviously, Abercrombie is trying to prevent jobs going to foreign workers while construction workers in his state and other states are out of work. His amendment makes perfect sense if you’re a senator watching unemployment rates skyrocket in your state, or watching your state hand out vouchers for payment because it is broke.

This amendment seems to strike fear in the hearts of contractors on Guam and the overall Guam business community. They’ve been collectively saying that doubling wage rates for these projects might kill the buildup, or cause a domino effect and increase the cost of living on the island. But would it?

The large contractors that will be paying these higher rates already pay similar rates in many states. According to www.payscale.com, journeyman electricians make an average of $25.44 an hour in the states. Carpenters make from $22.33 to $32.43, depending on where they work. So these contractors’ bids will reflect the Hawaii-based wage rates accordingly. It’s the Department of Defense that will have to fork out the big bucks.

Local contractors are not getting these jobs – that’s the word through the grapevine. They may get subcontracts, but they can work the higher wages into their subcontract bids. So the local contractors won’t actually have to pay these rates, because Abercrombie’s amendment is specific to the buildup, not to the prevailing wage rate on Guam.

What will happen, though, is that the buildup will create two classes of H-2 workers and local workers, those who work on federal projects and are paid the higher wages, and those who work on local projects and are paid Guam’s prevailing construction wage rates. This could cause some animosity among workers within a company, especially among foreign workers who might fight over who gets to work the 30 percent hours on federal projects.

The higher wage rate might actually work in Guam’s favor. Although stateside workers will probably send home a significant portion of their paychecks if they don’t move their families out here, rest assured, they’ll frequent local restaurants and other establishments, and spend more of their money here than would foreign workers, who as a general rule send home most of their paychecks.

The defense budget bill, including the war claims and Abercrombie amendments, is now in the U.S. Senate. What senators are going to have to decide is whether they want to increase the cost of the buildup in order to put more Americans back to work, or scratch the whole bill and start over. Or, they could take out Abercrombie’s amendments, or the war claims amendment, or both.

At this point, anything can happen. But having to deal with the higher buildup wages won’t be as devastating as will having the war claims legislation slip through our fingers once again.

If this is the deal – we should take it.

House Bill Would Sharply Raise Cost of Guam Project

House Bill Would Sharply Raise Cost of Guam Project
By Walter Pincus
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Washington Post

A little-publicized provision in the fiscal 2010 defense authorization bill approved by the House last week would double the $10 billion cost of construction on Guam as part of the realignment of U.S. military forces in the Pacific.

The planned move of 8,000 U.S. Marines and about 3,600 other U.S. military troops and their dependents from Okinawa and mainland Japan to Guam over the next five years was originally expected to cost about $15 billion.

Of that total, $10 billion would be in construction of facilities, family housing and public utilities.

But a provision in last week's House bill would require that construction companies pay their employees working on Guam's realignment construction projects wages equivalent to rates in Hawaii, which are 250 percent higher than those on Guam, according to the Joint Guam Program Office.

The Congressional Budget Office report attached to the House bill estimates the growth in labor costs from this provision alone "would increase the need for discretionary appropriations by about $10 billion over the 2010-2014 period."

The provision was authored by Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), the fourth-ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee.

Another amendment Abercrombie added to the bill would limit to 30 percent the proportion of foreign workers that would be allowed to work on these projects.

"At a time when a depressed economy has dealt a body blow to our construction industry, the Department of Defense should not even consider turning over badly needed jobs to foreign workers at questionable wages," Abercrombie told his constituents.

"This is a huge opportunity to put Americans to work, in an American territory, building an American military base. My amendments provide clear guidelines to manage the buildup while ensuring quality work for our service members and their families," he added.
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Another provision would require the secretary of labor to report to the House and Senate Armed Services committees by June 30, 2010, "on efforts to expand the recruitment of construction workers in the United States to support this effort; on the ability of labor markets to support the Guam realignment."

Not everyone agreed with Abercrombie's proposals. Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R-Va.), also an Armed Services Committee member, said during debate on the bill, "This provision will lead to inflated wages in Guam, while taking American jobs from construction projects in Texas, Maryland and Virginia."

The realignment, first agreed to in 2006 by the Bush administration and Japanese government, was designed to reduce tensions caused by a large, unwanted American military presence on Okinawa. In February, during her trip to Japan, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton restated the U.S commitment "to modernize our military posture in the Pacific."

The government of Japan is expected to contribute about $2.8 billion to pay for the move. The U.S. government is to contribute $4.2 billion, and an additional $3.2 billion worth of family housing construction will be financed by third parties, who would then take a fee for managing those properties.

The Congressional Budget Office said it "does not expect the Japanese government to increase its share," thus leaving Washington to pick up the additional costs for construction projects if the provision remains in the bill.

A Government Accountability Office report in April raised questions about whether the U.S. government and the military had made adequate preparations on Guam. The GAO pointed out that military members and their families would create roughly a 14 percent increase in Guam's current population of 171,000, which would "substantially impact Guam's community and infrastructure."

There also would be a need for an estimated 22,000 additional construction workers, at least temporarily.

The GAO suggested that Guam's two major highways would need upgrading to carry the increased traffic. In addition, the island's major port would have to double its capacity.

Its electric capacity would need a major buildup, as would its water and wastewater systems, which the GAO said are near capacity already. The estimate was that the latter would have to be increased by 25 percent.

One question was who would fund the additional demands on Guam's roads, schools and public utilities. In last week's bill, the House expressed its "sense of the Congress that utility improvements on Guam should incorporate military and civilian utilities on Guam into a unified [electric] grid."

Guam to Save the Day Again with Military Buildup

Military Build-Up: Guam to Save the Day Again
By Mia Concepcion Triton’s Call, Volume 31, Issue 02

Driving around the island, one can see some big changes happening. New restaurants, businesses, and housing complexes are carving their way through Guam’s natural landscapes.

Multiple roads are currently going through extensive reconstruction to prepare for the military buildup, the transfer of 8000 U.S. Marines and their 9000 dependents from Okinawa to Guam.

According to Governor Felix Camacho in his address to the U.S. Senate Committee and Energy Resources, the Marines will start departing their old base in Okinawa in 2012 and the relocation will be complete by 2014. With such a close deadline for the Marines’ arrival, Guam is working overtime to be prepared.

Both the Japanese and the United States government are spending billions of dollars, 15 billion to be exact, to help Guam prepare for this nearly 25 percent increase in population.

Japan is agreeing to foot some of the bill to ensure a speedy relocation due to social problems between Okinawans and the Marines.

Great amount of publicity given to rapes done by U.S. Marines. According to the Japan Press Weekly, the number of sex offenses in the military forces is 22 times the amount occurring in Japan. Okinawan political activists were strong in voice and were adamant about the ridding of the Marines, one even travelling to Guam to speak of the military presence and the ills that come along with it.

Some newspapers, on the other hand, have criticized some of Okinawa’s media, saying that things were blown out of proportion in order to serve a special need. According to Stars and Stripes, the number of offences committed by the Marines is merely a fraction of the number of offences committed by locals.

Either way, there has been an obvious apprehension on both sides and the relocation seemed the best choice to get rid of it. This is where Guam comes in, to save the day in the same way the buildup will save Guam’s day, financially.

With the recession of multiple economies, these are not the brightest days of our island. The Japanese economy hasn’t been in its best shape either, which has a direct and serious effect on the island.

Guam, an island heavily relying on the money pulled in from Japanese tourists, is also feeling the tightening of the belt. The number of flights from Japan is steadily going downhill, thus the number of tourists and there is nothing else for our economy to rely on.

With such desperation regarding money on island, many people are really looking to this Marine buildup as an economic savior who couldn’t have come at a better time. The government of Guam seems to be stuck in a financial whirlpool, never quite getting out and the more people involved only results in a bigger debt, a bigger hunger.

Students of the University of Guam are in a unique position and have an invaluable perspective on this change on island. We can benefit enormously from this buildup and increase in population and military presence. We are embarking on our careers and it could not be a better time for us to do so.

With so many businesses and agencies coming to support the buildup, we have endless professional choices.

Older generations seem to be in consensus that this buildup will be a good thing. They have been on Guam long enough to see her during the good times: when politicians were trustworthy, when the government wasn’t in debt and when schools were actually safe havens for children.

Needless to say, things aren’t the same. Being able to gauge how good things were with money, it is easier for them to welcome this military expansion with open arms.

Maybe it’s a feasible way for them to return Guam to her good old days. Maybe they don’t want to see the social problems that might arise with the increased Marine presence on the island. Maybe it’s not going to be that big of a deal.

But denying that there will be social changes is a huge mistake. Any area that experiences a large population increase will, without a doubt, face a little tension, especially when there are differences in culture if transition is not done properly.

As young adults living on a small island with an already prominent military community, we see first-hand what these tensions can lead to. We see animosity rooted in cultural misunderstandings and what comes out of it: harsh words being exchanged, violence and worst, the passing of this animosity onto future generations.

We see numerous fights involving two different ethnicities, always on opposite sides and rarely mixing. We also hear the hatred and anger from certain elders about those “guys”.

I remember specifically waiting outside the Globe for a friend to come out. As I sat outside, I noticed that there was a military guy laid out on the ground. He was unconscious and wasn’t receiving help from anyone except for his lone friend, holding up his head. I thought he had blacked out from drinking but upon speculation, I learned that two local guys had attacked him. I insisted that some guys help him out, but they only replied with a cold “That’s what they deserve”.

It wasn’t a “That’s what he deserves” but a general statement about a large amount of people. I’m not saying that this misunderstanding is only on one side but it’s a multi-faceted thing. Tons of military guys, probably missing home and still getting used to Guam, tend to speak badly of the island. We have heard multiple times that they can’t wait to get off this rock.

With Chamorros being a proud people, it’s easy to understand how upset one can get when hearing such talk. Young men tend to be protective of their homeland, no matter where it may be, and will get violent in order to get their point across. We’ve heard countless stories, from both sides, about how things aren’t as pleasant as one would hope in regards to the relations between the locals and the military. We have heard about how the Chamorro people can be extremely hospitable or can be mean-spirited. We have also heard that members of the military are the most interesting people or the most obnoxious.

Either way, we need to open our eyes and our minds. As of right now, the buildup seems like a mere blueprint. Sure, we see new roads being constructed and new buildings going up left and right but are we ready for this? We can have numerous shopping malls and restaurants but what we need to prepare ourselves for are the cultural and social changes we are going to see in our community.

We, as a whole, could look forward to sharing our majestic island with others. We can teach others the joys of our culture instead of chastising those who don’t understand it.

That being said, we can also learn from other cultures to become better citizens of the world. We live in a wonderful place and we’re blessed to call Guam our home. It’s only right that we represent her the proper way; with respect and understanding, no matter who you are.

We could look at this buildup with fear, excitement or utter confusion but the number one thing to do is to keep open our minds and our hearts. We, as students of the University of Guam, are the island’s future leaders and we need to be the ones to show the way.

Marianas Buildup, Not Guam Buildup

'Marianas buildup, not Guam military buildup'
By Haidee V. Eugenio
Reporter
Saipan Tribune
April 3, 2009

Guam Lt. Gov. Michael Cruz yesterday said he and Gov. Felix P. Camacho propose to rename what has long been known as the Guam military buildup to “Marianas buildup,” and both look to forming a regional economic task force to tap a projected $2 billion to $4 billion in annual defense-related contracts associated with the influx of military personnel on Guam.

Cruz was the keynote speaker at yesterday's opening of the two-day 2009 Economic Restoration Summit, which drew over a hundred businessmen and government officials from the CNMI and Guam.


He talked about the growing need for a regional approach to the economic challenges faced by the Marianas.

“I firmly believe that Guam's strategic value would diminish if not for the assets of the CNMI. The complexity of current military operations and the security requirements which accompany them cannot be resolved by one island alone,” Cruz told participants in the summit held at the Fiesta Resort and Spa in Garapan.


Jobs

In his remarks, Cruz said he and Camacho propose a regional program in which the CNMI government will share experts with Guam for up to four years, with taxes paid to the Commonwealth to ensure critical government services.

Cruz said the next four years will increase Guam's need for tax enforcement officers, building inspectors, environmental health inspectors, policy specialists and public safety officers.

Although Guam will train its people to meet the increased demand, the number of needed positions requires that it finds other sources such as the CNMI.

“If the CNMI has an excess of these officials, we believe our governments can engage in a program of shared expertise during the peak years of the buildup,” he said.

The program, according to Cruz, would allow the region to share in Guam's future prosperity and by giving jobs to people.


Opportunities

CNMI Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, in his welcoming remarks, recognized the military buildup and the federal stimulus funding as opportunities for the islands.

The summit identified agriculture, aquaculture, edu-tourism and call centers as alternative industries for the CNMI, and brought together experts, entrepreneurs, lawmakers and other policymakers to help develop these industries.

Results of the summit will be presented at the U.S. Department of the Interior-sponsored Business Opportunities in the Islands Conference in Hawaii from April 6 to 8.

In an interview, Cruz recognized the CNMI's growing interest in agriculture and aquaculture which on Guam, “unfortunately, is sort of a dying industry because of multiple concerns, and the increasing price of land.”

Reducing the cost of shipping goods from the CNMI to Guam, he said, is a key area of cooperation.

“Gov. Felix Camacho has been very strong about ensuring the region benefits from the prosperity that Guam is going to see. A healthy region is a healthy Guam, and a healthy Guam should mean a healthy region,” Cruz said.

He added that the Marianas buildup recognizes the various impacts the military relocation will have on the islands, which need to work collaboratively to share in the success coming their way.

“This region must deal with a higher military profile, a large population influx, and a severe lack of skilled labor. If we do not meet our challenges together, we will be divided by them.” he added.

To implement this concept, Cruz and Camacho propose the creation of a regional economic task force that will use the Marianas buildup as the initial engine to address the region's economic concerns.

The proposed economic task force is seen to explore continued collaboration on the guest worker program to ensure new federal regulations address the region's shared concerns.

Accompanying Cruz on Saipan for the summit was his chief of staff, Carlotta De Leon Guerrero, a former TV anchor on Saipan.


Difficulties

Businesses in the CNMI and Guam experience significant difficulty identifying federal contracts and obtaining them, according to Cruz.

While companies with Guam addresses transacted approximately $250 million with the federal government last year, only less than 10 percent of the companies in Guam actually performed the work, he said.

“With a projected $2 billion to $4 billion per year in defense-related contracts associated with the buildup, companies throughout Guam, the CNMI and Micronesia must participate in these good times, especially after we survived the hard times,” said Cruz.

Over the next four years, Guam's population is expected to grow by 28 to 30 percent-the equivalent of some 22 years of population growth occurring in less than a third of that time.

Cruz said the government of Guam is spearheading efforts to prepare for the buildup, but these efforts are not for the military alone.

A dramatic increase in the population requires an upgrade to public services such as health, education, public safety, cultural preservation and economic development.


No easy solutions

Fitial, in his welcoming remarks at the summit, said it's not an easy task to develop promising new industries because of a dramatic change in the economic environment.

For example, the CNMI no longer holds its traditional competitive advantages such as local control of minimum wage rates, local control of immigration, and duty-free access to U.S. markets via Headnote 3(a) provision.

There may be no easy solutions, he said, but the Economic Restoration Summit represents a “good, healthy starting point.”

Fitial thanked former Supreme Court chief justice Jose S. Dela Cruz and others for publicly calling for an economic summit to discuss the CNMI's problems. He also thanked Commerce Secretary Michael Ada for organizing the summit along with other public and private sector agencies such as CDA, Northern Marianas College, and IT&E.

The well organized summit, co-sponsored by the Department of Commerce and the Commonwealth Development Authority, identified agriculture, aquaculture, edu-tourism and call centers as alternative industries for the CNMI.

Commerce Secretary Ada presented the Commonwealth Economic Development Strategy, which serves as a master plan for the CNMI's economic development. Among the priority projects involve the Commonwealth Utilities Corp., inter-island super ferry, alternative energy, and housing. Ada also provided an update on CNMI efforts to tap into the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or the federal stimulus package.

Dr. Arthur L. Smith, president of consulting firm Management Analysis Inc., said with half-a-billion dollar in proposed projects, the cost of which is more than three times the CNMI's annual budget, there is increased opportunity for public-private partnership.

He cited as examples the CUC power plant 1, Garapan Elementary School, Garapan redevelopment, Pinatang Beach Park, alternative energy and international sports complex as areas in which public-private partnership can benefit the CNMI.

Sergio Loya, project manager of MAI, presented the results of discussions on aquaculture, agriculture and edu-tourism. Each was followed by presentations of experts and entrepreneurs, including Dr. Shaun Moss of the Oceanic Institute who talked about aquaculture; businessman Tony Pellegrino, who talked about agriculture; and Wayne Pangelinan, who talked about edu-tourism.

The summit was broadcast through video teleconference to Rota and Tinian participants, who were also able to ask the presenters questions.

http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=89102

Trade institute is racing against time

Monday, 24 November 2008 00:00 By Emmanuel T. Erediano - Variety News Staff

The newly established Northern Marianas Trades Institute has five years to produce a considerable number of skilled local residents to replace their nonresident counterparts who will be gone by Dec. 2014 as a result of the federalized immigration system that will take effect next year.

NMTI opened on July 15 to train local residents for jobs that are usually filled by guest workers who are willing to accept low wages.

Anthony Pellegrino, who owns a number of businesses on Saipan, said in an interview on Friday that even before the federalization law was enacted, he realized that the CNMI will have five and a half years to build an adequate local work force to replace the guest workers.

The Fitial administration believes that the federalization law will reduce to zero by Dec. 31, 2014 the number of nonresident workers who currently make up 80 percent of the CNMI’s total workforce in the private sector.

Most locals work for the public sector which pays much more than the private companies.

Pellegrino said as an investor who wants to continue doing business on Saipan, he had to think of plan that could at least mitigate the effect of federalization five years from now.

Human capital

Pellegrino said he established the trade institute because he believes the strength of any community lies in the trade skills of its populace.

His start-up money was $60,000 to $70,000 but the real investment here, he said, is motivation.

If a community’s natural resources are used up, the people will be poor forever, he said. But if people are educated, trained and skilled, a country can always become great, Pellegrino added, citing Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan as examples.

“They invested in their people. I call it human capital. The more educated and more skillful the people are the stronger we can become,” Pellegrino said.

In the case of the CNMI, Pellegrino said local residents will be left to continue running the economy under a federalized immigration and labor system.

Educating people in trades, he said, is a sustainable way to keep the CNMI economy growing.

“I strongly feel that if the CNMI trains its human resources it can become one of the finest jurisdictions in the entire Pacific area, but over the years, the local people have been discouraged from learning any trade. They have been elbowed out of the market place because of the abundant supply of inexpensive or low-waged workers,” he said.

Head start

Three weeks ago, 26 local students completed the three-month pre-requisite course at the institute.

They now have to choose any of NMTI’s trade courses —carpentry and painting, plumbing, electronics, sewing, cosmetics, hair styling and culinary arts.

Today, these students, will start to learn “hands-on,” Pellegrino said.

He said there is a great sense of pride and accomplishment among the local students.

Pellegrino is confident that NMTI will be able to produce skilled local residents before the last group guest workers leave the islands.

The only question is, would the number of skilled locals be enough to cover all the jobs that will be left vacant?

Pellegrino said 110 more local residents have enrolled.

The new enrollees, he said, are young men and women, 17 to 35 years old.

Most are jobless and do not have the same skills as guest workers have.

Unfinished job

Pellegrino recalls that when he opened the institute, there was not a trade school in place.

Northern Marianas College used to offer vocational training, but despite the tens of millions of dollars spent on the program, the enrollment and graduation rates for local residents were “appallingly low,” according to a government official.

The then-NMC officials said locals would have no motivation to learn trade skills if CNMI wages remained low.

Public Law 5-4 mandates that the portion of the guest workers’ application and renewal fees will fund NMC’s apprenticeship, vocational and trade training programs.

Public Law 6-4, or the NMC Vocational Education Program Act of 1988, established the college’s apprenticeship vocational management training program in secretarial science, bookkeeping and construction trades.

This program was supposed to be funded by fees collected from businesses that hired nonresident workers.

The programs had to be discontinued due to lack of students.

Some of the equipment like an electronic panel, woodwork tables and tools have not been used for years and are rusting already.

No future competition

The federalization law will fund a CNMI vocational school to train local residents for guest worker job.

Pellegrino said that if the local government establishes such school he will not compete with it.

He is willing to close NMTI once the federally required vocational school is established.

“I will be grateful if somebody will continue this for me,” he said, adding that he established NMTI just to show what the commonwealth can do to help itself.

UOG May Have to Cut Programs

UOG may have to cut programs
By Brett Kelman
Pacific Daily News
October 14, 2008

Yesterday, University of Guam associate professor of nursing Kathryn Wood said her department had no choice but to grow in the near future. The coming military buildup will increase Guam's need for nurses and the UOG faculty must increase to cope.

"The nursing program is in critical condition and that is not a cliché. It's the truth," she said.

Wood spoke out yesterday at a UOG faculty meeting led by President Robert Underwood.

On Friday, Underwood announced that the Legislature didn't fund "growth initiatives" that would have allowed the university to prepare itself for the buildup.

The military buildup will bring at least 30,000 service members, dependents and laborers to Guam over the next few years, according to Pacific Daily News files. Wood said UOG nurses will be needed.

"Because of the nursing faculty shortage worldwide, if you can go down the street to another nursing program and get a job, why would you uproot and come halfway around the world to an area you are not familiar with?" she asked.

"(Nurses) don't have to all be from here, but we know there will be consistent care if people come into the system, they are with us and we don't have to worry about needing to scramble each year to hire," she said. "We want to have a stable health-care system."

Wood said the nursing program has had the largest increase in enrollment of any program on campus in recent years. More than 80 people have applied to the college this year and more than 60 should be accepted, she said. Unfortunately, for the first time, the shortage of professors may force the program to cap how many students the nursing school accepts, she said.

Wood said the nursing college employs six full-time faculty members and at least as many part-time members. The part-time faculty members work at full-time nursing jobs.

"They are getting tired," she said. "And the full-time faculty are pulling overloads every semester. We can't keep that pace up to produce more nurses. We are stretched to the limits."

Wood said a study by the nursing college determined that UOG needs to produce about 60 nurses a year to meet local demands.

This year UOG will only graduate about 20 nurses, she said. Last year 39 graduated.

To cope with the military buildup, UOG will have to graduate about 80 nurses per year, Wood said. To do so, it needs to fill two empty positions and hire about four more professors.

Underwood's growth initiatives included the hiring of six new professors for the college.

Shortfalls
During a presentation Friday, Underwood said the funding cuts affected almost every part of UOG's budget. In total, UOG requested about $40.5 million but was only appropriated about $31.2 million. Financial aid for Regent scholars, the Reserve Officers' Training Corps and Marine Lab graduates weren't funded. Yesterday, Underwood said the programs may be phased out.

"We will try to find a way to continue the programs for at least another semester," he said. "But over the long haul, unless they are funded specifically, they will no longer exist."

Underwood's growth initiatives would have spent $1.4 million on new faculty and supplies to help develop Guam's professional workforce, including the hiring of 21 new faculty members.

UOG requested another $1.5 million to raise faculty salaries to "recruit and retain the best minds" to lead Guam's development, Underwood said.

Yesterday, history professor Donald Platt said the university would struggle to recruit competitively without more funding. Platt is the chairman of the UOG Faculty Senate.

"If the growth initiatives aren't funded, we will be able to survive, but we can't improve much," he said. "We can't attract faculty."

Underwood asked faculty members to brainstorm over the weekend about how the university could save money to pay for some of growth initiatives. Although the Legislature didn't give UOG any money to expand, he hoped to still spend about $300,000.

"Every society that is on a growth cycle invests in its human beings. Every society that is in decline will always cut education," he said.

Lee Yudin, Dean of the College of Natural and Applied Sciences, suggested UOG might allow its current professors to teach more classes so fewer new hires were needed.

"It allows us a little bit of flexibility to offer more classes to our students when we deal with not being able to hire," he said.

Underwood said UOG could sustain its current population of 3,200 students, but may not be able to handle growth without more funding.

"While we are an open enrollment institution, we may face the day where we can't admit everyone we'd like to a given program at a given time," he said.

Underwood said he will weigh input from his faculty and propose a balanced budget to the UOG Board of Regents. He said the budget must be reviewed by Oct. 23.

Funding
Yesterday, Sen. Eddie Calvo said he tried to provide more funding for the university in his original budget bill, but the money was moved elsewhere. Calvo is chairman of the Committee on Finance. He is running for re-election.

Calvo said his original bill provided an additional $400,000 to the university. Had that bill passed, UOG would still have been short of its no-growth base budget and growth initiatives still would have been unfunded.

Calvo said he supported Underwood's goal of transforming the university into a factory for local professionals, but he had to prioritize the university's operations costs.

"We had to focus on meeting that base," Calvo said. "You are in need of a stable institution before you start to expand to the types of service and growth initiatives ... requested."

If Guam's "revenue picture" changes because of additional spending by tourists or the military, the Legislature could revisit the budget, he said. The Legislature also could re-appropriate funding from another agency, or the governor could use transfer authority to move money to UOG, Calvo said.

Task Force Touts Military Buildup

Task force touts military buildup
By Lacee A.C. Martinez
Pacific Daily News
lcmartinez@guampdn.com
12/05/07

Residents last night were able to meet face-to-face with the officials who will be developing a master plan for the island in preparation for the military buildup.

Dozens last night crowded the Agana Heights Mayor's Office for one of the first in a series of three Civilian Military Task Force meetings. Residents also have the opportunity to ask questions and make suggestions to members of the committees tonight and tomorrow night in other villages.

Questions..Click here!
The priority of the task force is to focus on the delivery of services and to ensure the military buildup is benefiting the local community, committee member Tony Lamorena said.

"These committees are here to ensure that this buildup is not just good for the military, but good for the community, as well," Lamorena said.

Nimitz Hill resident D. Smith waited his turn to talk about jobs with Labor committee Chairwoman Maria Connelly.

"As we move forward, there are going to be a lot of jobs with billions to be spent, and my concern is whether Guam will be getting those jobs or whether they're going to go to these outside foreign contractors," he said. "Who's going to benefit from the employment? Guam should make sure that it gets its share."

The Department of Labor continues to compile job openings for construction firms and other employment vacancies throughout the island, Connelly said, adding that the Navy also is sending lists of available jobs they have.

"It is a priority to try to fill these positions locally," she said. "Most employers would want to employ people here rather than have to bring people in."

Agana Heights resident Frank D. Cruz showed up early to speak with housing committee members about the effect the military move will have on the cost of housing on Guam.

Cruz, who also owns a duplex in Agana Heights, said he expects the cost of apartment rentals to jump because many business owners will want to charge more for military tenants.

"I know that many people would rather rent out to the military, and I want to know whether the government is going to absorb that cost," Cruz said. "But what's going to happen to the rest of the residents?

Cruz said members of the housing committee were able to give him some feedback on their progress to address potential housing problems, but said he still worries about residents being displaced because of the buildup.

"I haven't heard anything yet from the government of how they're going to control this," he said.

John Torres, also from Agana Heights, said his main concern was the quality of life, the cost of living and safety issues.

"What's going to happen to us? Are we going to be listening to gunshots all night or hearing bombs?" he asked. "We don't need that stuff here, and we're a target already with other countries. We'll be even more of a target with the buildup."

Torres said he looks forward to business opportunities the buildup will bring for the community, but questions the need for the increase in military presence.

"Safety is a very big issue, and we already have the Air Force, the Navy and the National Guard," he said. "We're already good with what we have now."