Guam -Senators Cruz and Respicio want the reports from the 5 CMCC committees shared with the island’s business community which has been critical of Guam Senators for their anti-buildup rhetoric.
In a release, the 2 Senators who attended the Civilian Military Co-Ordination Council Meeting Tuesday said they want the business community to see the reports “so that they are aware that this Buildup delay was not caused by anything locally, but by the financial realities facing both the governments of the United States and Japan.”
In their statement, Cruz and Respicio write “it is unfortunate that business people still want to believe that this Buildup will happen in 2014.”
Cruz is quoted as saying that he “concerned for those in the private sector, who may have over-extended themselves because of the Military’s initial plans.”
And Respicio is quoted as saying “There is no doubt that the Buildup will happen, but without any clarity surrounding the specificities, no one should claim that we are moving in a new direction or even articulate a ‘one Guam approach,’ absent working through the Guam First Commission.”
Read the Respicio/Cruz release in FULL below:
Sens. Cruz, Respicio comment on CMCC meeting Immediately following the Civilian Military Coordinating Council meeting this morning, Vice Speaker Benjamin J.F. Cruz and Majority Leader Rory J. Respicio, who were in attendance, offered the following statement:
“The presentations made by the five charter committees need to be shared with those in the business community, so that they are made aware that this Buildup delay was not caused by anything locally, but by the financial realities facing both the governments of the United States and Japan. The Department of Defense has yet to submit a master plan, despite this plan being due more than a week ago. It is unfortunate that business people still want to believe that this Buildup will happen in 2014. I remain concerned for those in the private sector, who may have over-extended themselves because of the Military’s initial plans, which even powerful members of Congress are calling too expensive and unrealistic,” said Cruz.
Senator Respicio said: “The CMCC meeting was informative. My sense is that there has been a great deal of planning and coordination between the federal and civilian governments. What fascinates me is that all this planning doesn’t seem to follow the Record of Decision, which calls for a Buildup to take place in 2014. I appreciate the new, adaptive program management approach to this Buildup, and this new information needs to be shared with the public. There is no doubt that the Buildup will happen, but without any clarity surrounding the specificities, no one should claim that we are moving in a new direction or even articulate a ‘one Guam approach,’ absent working through the Guam First Commission.”
Both Cruz and Respicio have been staunch advocates for Guam.
