The Guam International Raceway’s eviction notice deadline is set for the beginning of June.
What is the latest with the hearing on the measure that could save the racetrack?
Less than a month away from the Guam International Raceway’s deadline to the 90-day eviction notice extension, a hearing date for Bill 56-37 has not yet been set.
Bill 56-37 aims to legally classify the racetrack land as a Community Recreation Facility and transfer authority from the Chamorro Land Trust Commission to the Department of Parks and Recreation.
Back in February, Democrat Speaker Therese Terlaje requested a 90 day extension to the eviction notice served by the Chamorro Land Trust Commission to allow for upcoming events to take place.
The 90 day extension is up on June 2. The Speaker told the Pacific News Center that she intends on setting a hearing date, but that the Legislature is currently in the middle of budget hearings.
Far from having a hearing date set, Henry Simpson, general manager of the raceway, said they are hoping for a further extension in the wait for Bill 56’s hearing.
“We’re hoping for further extension so that the office of the Public Auditor report can come out, also that we can have a hearing on the bill,” said Simpson. “I think that it’s only fair that we get enough time to have a hearing on the bill and have the auditors report, then everybody knows what’s going on.”
Democrat Sen. Dwayne San Nicolas told PNC that if the Speaker is unable to hold a hearing on or before June 24, 120 days from its introduction, then he plans to hold one.
“Every senator can introduce a bill and if it gets sent to a Committee and the senator is not part of that committee, that committee has 120 days in which to hear it,” said San Nicolas. “If the 120 days elapses and that senator does not hear it, then the senator that introduced it can hold a public hearing.”
However, there’s an overlap of over three weeks between the June 2 eviction deadline and June 24. If the hearing is not set before June 2, the Raceway would still need an extension.
Terlaje explained that she had requested the CLTC for an extension due to the events that were set to take place.
If the Guam International Raceway wants another extension to their eviction notice, they would have to request it directly from the CLTC.
“I didn’t grant them (Raceway) anything, I wrote a letter to them (CLTC) reminding them of the activities and asking them if they could extend it, but because of the activities that were going on,” said Terlaje. “The action is between the Chamorro Land Trust and the tenants.”
Simpson confirmed to PNC they will send a letter to the CLTC requesting the extension.
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