Navy Installations Chief Promises Whole-Community Approach To Buildup

By Jeff Marchesseault

GUAM - The Federal Government is promising to blur the lines between the quality of life experienced on base and the quality of life experienced off base as Guam and the Department of Defense embark on a $15 billion joint venture known as the Military Buildup.

If equal partnership is the name of the game, then now is the time for the civilian community of Guam and local leaders to make the most of a challenging situation that will change life as we know it for generations to come.

Keynoting a conference called The Military Buildup And Beyond: The Guam Perspective this morning at the Guam Legislature, a ranking Federal official told Guam that the Federal Government supports a "one Guam community" concept. Now local leaders have the assurance they've been seeking that we're all in this together.

The remark came from Roger Natsuhara, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations and Environment. And his title, his responsibilities and his promising words couldn't have been more appropriate this morning, considering the fact that the ten-volume Draft Environmental Impact Statement describing the military's proposed new footprint is due for publication tomorrow. If joint federal/GovGuam plans carry through, then by this weekend the document will be available for all of Guam to delve into -- online, in libraries and village mayors' offices, and on compact disk -- media through which it will be accessible for everyone and anyone to read, ruminate upon and respond to for the next 90 days.

And while we shouldn't think that our thoughtful consideration and commentary will be ignored, we should also be aggressive, resourceful and resolute in communicating our concerns through every available medium -- through online response, on radio talkshows, in public forums, in letters to local officials, federal officials and Members of Congress. The important thing is that we speak up and engage the process while local leaders begin finding the common threads, forging a common voice and pursuing a common agenda for Guam.

In his opening remarks to the conference this morning, Governor Camacho acknowleged that everybody wants safer streets and a better quality of life with improved opportunities. Referring to the public review and comment period, he assured those gathered, "what you say will be considered."

Expressed public concerns will be vetted as the federal government finalizes its Environmental Impact Statement.

But during this process we should all keep in mind that "One Guam" assurances by themselves are not enough. The only way we can expect to wind up with the employment and entrepreneurial opportunities; the power, water, sewers and roads; the social safety net and the quality of life we want and need is to build a united message and tell it to our locally elected leaders and the federal government. And then we must remind them and then telling them again. In the tradition of checks and balances that makes America great, Guam must now hold the federal government accountable to its stated commitment to mutual benefits.

Here is a news release summarizing from the Office of Acting Speaker and Chairman of the Committee on Rules, Natural Resources, and Federal, Foreign & Micronesian Affairs Senator Rory Respicio:

November 19, 2009

Feds Support "One Guam" Concept: Natsuhara

GUAM - Acting Speaker Rory J. Respicio said today that he was pleased to learn that the
Federal Government supports a "one Guam community" concept.

The remark was made by Roger Natsuhara, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy for
Installations and Environment, during his keynote address at today's military buildup
conference being held at the Guam Legislature.

"Our conference is being held to point out and discuss the effects the buildup will
have on our civilian community," Acting Speaker Respicio said. "It's good to know
that the Federal Government, and especially the Department of Defense, has
recognized the need for people on both sides of the fence to receive benefits from the
buildup."

The Acting Speaker said, "We have been saying all along that we want to ensure that
both the military and civilian communities receive the benefits from the buildup. The
Assistant Secretary's statement that the Federal Government wants to see one Guam
community was the first time I've heard a ranking Federal official say this."

The conference continues this afternoon with a special presentation from Federated
States of Micronesia President Emanuel Mori, and a panel on natural resources.

Tomorrow's conference highlights will include a keynote address from the
Undersecretary of Labor of the Philippines, Romeo C. Lagman; results from a military
buildup survey by UOG Professor Jose Munoz, and panels on Public Services and
Systems, and Federal-Territorial Relations."

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