It appears that Joint Region Marianas has approved Democrat Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero’s request for an extension to sign the controversial Eagle’s Field lease, which would establish a new medical healthcare complex on the Eagle’s Field land in Mangilao.
On April 14, the deadline to sign the Eagle’s Field lease, Leon Guerrero asked Rear Admiral Benjamin Nicholson, the commander of the Joint Region Marianas, to extend the lease.
“I believe this extension of time will allow time to complete our due diligence, and to resolve any issues that may remain thereafter,” said Leon Guerrero in the letter addressed to Nicholson.
Nicholson, in a April 14 letter, recognized the Maga’haga’s request for additional time to sign the lease.
“Thank you for your April 14, 2023 letter requesting additional time to complete lease negotiations for the proposed new Guam hospital and medical campus,” said Nicholson. “I acknowledge that proposed amendments to the original unsigned lease require additional time for both Department of the Navy and Government of Guam representatives to conduct a thorough review.”
The Office of the Governor of Guam has been mum since Guam Attorney General Douglas Moylan refused to sign on March 31 the Eagle’s Field lease, which would authorize the governor to build a multi-billion dollar hospital on the Mangilao property.
Moylan did not sign the lease, he said, because of “numerous legal problems.”
First reason, it was in “non-compliance with Federal and Local laws and not involving the Guam Legislature in authorizing and appropriating funds for the lease.”
As for his second reason for refusing to sign the lease, Moylan said that under the terms of the current lease, the Federal Government is allowed to take full control and use of the new hospital in the event of war or a national emergency.
Leon Guerrero mentioned in the letter that her team is addressing Moylan’s opinion.
“My team is in the process of performing its due diligence review of Attorney General Moylan’s concerns, which we are conducting with the necessary expediency in light of the urgency of this matter,” Leon Guerrero said in the letter.
Moylan shared with the Pacific News Center last week that he’s open to providing further assistance to the governor on the lease negotiation with the military.
Meanwhile, Nicholson approved the governor’s plea for a later deadline.
“In acknowledgement of our good faith efforts I am granting an extension of time to April 30, 2023 to finalize and endorse the lease on behalf of the DoN,” he said.
Leon Guerrero thanked Nicholson for pushing back the deadline for the Eagle’s Field lease.
“On behalf of the people of Guam, thank you for collaborating with us on this critical endeavor,” she said. “I look forward to our continued partnership, for the benefit of the people of Guam, and all who call Guam home.”
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