HAGATNA (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) — As Guam Memorial Hospital resumed normal operations on Wednesday following power fluctuations that led to an electrical fire, government leaders pointed their fingers at one another, each calling out the other to aid the public facility in distress.
Governor Lou Leon Guerrero called on the legislature to “fund GMH now,” while Speaker Frank Blas Jr. and Sen. Sabrina Salas Matatane asked the administration to declare a state of emergency and tap into the American Rescue Plan and the Rainy-Day funds to subsidise the hospital.
“The funding exists. The need is undeniable. But the silence is deafening,” the senators said in a letter addressed to Lieutenant Governor Josh Tenorio.
“This is not just a crisis. It is a catastrophe warranting a state of emergency,” they added, reminding the governor of her campaign promise “to prioritize GMH and restore Guam’s healthcare system using all available resources.”
In response, Leon Guerrero said her administration has already “directed millions of dollars in American Rescue Plan funding to the hospital to address urgent needs.”
As for the Rainy-Day reserve, the governor turned the tables on the senators, saying that only the legislature has the authority over its use.
“The legislature must decide whether to drain the Rainy-Day fund to provide tax breaks for large businesses or instead maintain current revenues to support critical services like GMH,” Leon Guerrero said.
The GMH fire broke out on Tuesday at the height of budget talks at the legislature, where senators voted earlier this week to give the public hospital an additional US$35 million for fiscal 2026…. PACNEWS