With hundreds of millions of dollars in federal construction coming to Guam along with innovations like of additive manufacturing and data hub management, Gov. Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero, during last night's address to Guamanians, said the state of the island is “strong and our future is bright.”
The governor touted the Department of Defense agreement to a multi-million dollar partnership focused on additive manufacturing for ship and submarine parts. In February, the Applied Science & Technology Research Organization of America joined Leon Guerrero and U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Scott Pappano, Program Executive Officer, Strategic Submarines at a joint meeting where they announced a project plan for building an additive manufacturing technology and workforce education center on Guam.
The idea behind the new center is to advance national security and also support Guam’s economic development to include workforce development particularly in STEM careers.
She also touted the new communications cable that Google is laying that will help build Guam as a “vital data” hub.
Looking to the future of local residents’ homeownership, the governor said three things need to happen:
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First, maintain or increase the labor pool needed to keep pace with the demand for construction in the private and public sectors.
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Second, Guam must seek a greater allocation of federal tax credits directed toward the construction of affordable home development.
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Third, there needs to be a review and revamping of any local or federal policy which “needlessly impedes growth or hampers responsible development.”
In recent years, the cost of constructing homes has risen beyond what many can afford, the governor said.
“The shortage of skilled workers is a major driver of this cost. This is why we’ve worked at both national and international levels to ensure that the number of skilled laborers on island now exceeds 5,000–a figure that has not been achieved on Guam since the construction boom of the 1980s,” she said.
Leon Guerrero called for discussion and hopefully some agreement on the construction of a new medical center, the site of which has proven controversial. The governor, in her state of the island address, said there needs to be a space that “can house a Medical Center and accommodate the growth that will happen - and in fact, is already happening - on our island.”
Other sites considered include Eagles Field in Mangilao, considered federal property but was to be made available to the government of Guam for the use of a medical center with the support of Joint Region Marianas. That option was nixed and a number of senators have insisted a new hospital be built in Tamuning.
Concerns with current management and operational challenges at Guam Memorial Hospital were also acknowledged: “… We are in active discussions with off-island experts to assess operations, including the financial system and revenue cycle … to address our healthcare personnel shortages and the financial stability of the hospital.”
The governor also touched on education, calling on the Department of Education to rethink how Kindergarten to Grade 12 curriculum “to allow for more in-school, skill-based training that allows willing students to start on a career upon graduation” similar to programs at Guam Communication College and GCA Trade School.
With regard to public safety, Leon Guerrero urged senators to help keep pace with public safety officers’ annual budget and to “consider granting greater annual leave accrual to law enforcement officers.”
However, she also had a message to future law enforcement officers.
“But going forward, we will expect something more of new recruits—-if we train you for a career in law enforcement, we will ask you to sign on to a minimum three-year commitment to serve the agency you trained with,” Leon Guerrero said. “Should you leave government service early, you will be asked to repay the pro-rated share of your training cost. We respect your right to advance and do more with the skills you’ve learned for free— but this opportunity does not come without a cost—and it should be available for those who want it after you leave,” the governor added.
It’s unclear from the governor’s state of the island address if legislation is needed to make repaying training costs a requirement.
Public safety agencies, Guam Police Department and Department of Corrections have been pressured with recruiting and retaining officers to fill shortages for years. Historically, as officers train then work but after gaining experience they would transfer to higher paying positions within GovGuam or transfer to federal positions.
The governor also touched on Guam’s drug issue: “Although drug-related arrests are up, and we have confiscated more meth than our predecessors, the drug-related crime on our streets is unacceptable.” She called for support to expand rehabilitation efforts, saying it works better than punitive measures. mbj