Thursday, August 09, 2007

Ancient Remains May Be Personally Transported

Ancient remains from Okura may be personally transported
by Michele Catahay, KUAM News
Thursday, August 09, 2007

The senior archeologist spearheading the Guam Hotel Okura project is looking at other options to have ancient remains get to the mainland for further analysis. Instead of sending them via registered mail, as his company, PHRI, had proposed, David Defant says there is a possibility that they may escort the remains themselves. Ancient artifacts to include 287 human remains were found on the site.

The hotel is currently spending over $30 million in renovations. Defant says remains have been sent off-island in the past, as recently as last year, via registered mail. "We had applied to ship the remains via United States Registered Mail, it has been suggested. It's an excellent suggestion that we instead escort the remains via Continental to the States and back, and that seems to be a reasonable request," he said.

Former senator and coalition leader Hope Cristobal is pushing to have projects in that area seize in order to protect the ancient burial grounds. Meanwhile, the Department of Parks and Recreation's Historical Resources Division contends that the hotel has continued to follow Guam law and has reported to them on a weekly basis.

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