By Pacific Island Times News Staff
The political temperature rose this week when the Democratic and Republican candidates for Guam delegate exchanged scathing attacks over the U.S. Navy’s move to raise the price of the Fena water sold to the Guam Waterworks Authority.
Ginger Cruz, the Democratic Party’s congressional candidate, turned up the heat on James Moylan, saying the incumbent Republican delegate was "AWOL" when the Navy pushed up its water rates.
"At a time when working families are already facing economic hardships, our delegate should have been on top of this issue, fighting to protect our interests," Cruz said. "Instead, we are left wondering whether he didn’t know this increase was coming, or worse if he simply didn’t care."
In response, Moylan countered that Cruz "lacks experience" in the congressional process.
“You don’t find solutions by being the loudest in the room, or even acting as if you have all the answers. At least not in Congress. You find answers by working
with others and seeking legislative vehicles,” he said.
GWA’s expenditure on water purchase from the Navy’s Fena treatment system has increased from $6 million to $15 million.
The Consolidated Commission on Utilities said Guam's ratepayers are likely to shoulder the water rate increase.
"CCU members indicated a need to contact Guam’s delegate. Their hope is that future hikes could be avoided through some amendment in the (National Defense Appropriation Act," Cruz said.
"This situation underscores the importance of proactive leadership. Even if Moylan was unable to prevent the rate hike, he had a responsibility to prepare the community for this possibility and work toward long-term solutions that protect our families," she added.
Moylan said the Navy’s water rate increase was fresh information that was just brought to his office’s attention “within the past 24 hours” by GWA.
“Since learning of the issue, our office has reached out for an audience with
Ms. Meredith Berger, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment to understand the issue and seek alternative solutions,” he said.
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According to a press release from Cruz’s campaign, there are discussions of an upcoming supplemental measure that includes some findings from staff delegations that recently visited the island.
“Our team is already in dialogs on various topics, and an interim conversation on this water issue will be brought to the table,” Cruz said.
Moylan, however, implied that Cruz was missing the whole picture.
“Unfortunately, as simple as the solution presented by Candidate Cruz seems, it is also deemed to be a nuclear option that has the potential of adversely impacting the over $2 billion in investments being authorized for Guam in the FY 2025 NDAA, along with several other authorities for the Guam National Guard, $140 million to repair Guam’s roads, $167 million to repair the Glass
Breakwater, and recognizing three of Guam’s Vietnam Conflict heroes with the
distinguished Medal of Honor,” he said.
Moylan said a long-term solution would have to be included in the 2026 NDAA
and MilCon appropriation bills, and if allowed to return to the Armed Services
Committee next year, this will be among the priorities,” he added.
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