Following months of agonizing debate with too often personal attacks on both sides, Guam Memorial Hospital land controversy now comes to a merciful end.
After a passionate dispute ultimately worth billions of dollars, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero now appears to have taken the path of servant leadership in order to finally begin the rebuilding of GMH.
Last week, the Guam legislature defeated the governor’s attempts to build a grandiose 100-acre medical complex in the middle of nowhere. Senators repeatedly referenced the governor’s multi-million Matrix report which definitively quantified the governor’s proposed site in Edda Agaga as too expensive, too complicated, and too far off target for Guam’s hospital needs that it didn’t even make the top 10 list of property options.
By a simple majority, the senators chose to finally rebuild GMH at Ypao Point. This is the land overwhelmingly supported by the medical community of Guam. This is the land where the greatest number of voters on Guam were born. This is the property given generously to the People of Guam by the great philanthropist Frank D. Perez stipulating that it be used as a center of island healthcare not casino tourism.
So now, with the passage of time, bygones shall be bygones. The humility and kindness now demonstrated in the wise leadership of the magahaga is the embodiment of Inafamaolek itself.
In giving way to the will of the people rather than sulking in defeat, the governor indeed restores harmony and makes things good. Unlike a graceless, angry, and defeated Donald Trump, Lou Leon Guerrero shows our community and the World a better way of stewardship.
The governor is right. Ten years, even five years is much too long for the people of Guam to wait for a new GMH to be built. As a Pacific island community, we must always take into first account the needs of the children and the Man’Amko, many whom will not be with us very much longer.
Perhaps, then, this is the greatest reason why Governor Lou will now turn her great attention and talents toward rebuilding GMH at Ypao Point. Too many CHamorus have died at GMH waiting for the Governor to fix it. Too many babies, too many man’amko, too many people of Guam have died waiting for GMH to be clean. We all wished we could have fixed GMH sooner but all this inefficient, selfish political bantering ruined our best intentions. We waited until Christmas and that day came and went.
Today, Gov. Lou shows us a better way. No more arguing. Let’s start working together as we always were meant to do.
Even the word says, “I’m possible”. Merry Christmas, Guam.
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