Attendees: 

We had the advantage of having our Nasion Chamoru and other special interest group representatives in attendance.

Infrastructure

•    Is it safe to live in Guam?  Is it safe for our children?  Are we safe?  Is it safe for future generations to live here if contaminated?
•    There is a need for proactive health immunizations.
•    Understand there is a road down the center of Guam that will be 150 feet wide

•        Impact will change Guam
  
  

Political Status / Right to Self-Determination

•    Population of Guam – believe some not counted
Construction Workers
•    American Samoans don’t need passports
•    CNMI – who is in control?
•    Guam is not ready

The Buildup

•    Will cause population increase
•    Large businesses will wipe out small businesses
•    Stand up and be strong
•    Congresswoman Bordallo and Chamber invited the military
•    Find place for Marines where they are wanted
•    Find/look for solutions to not be in predicament; end of our survival if bomb hits us!
•    If Japan can put in $6B, there’s something heating up—the Marianas are in a key position for a global attack.  It is genocide to the Chamorro people; no regard for us.
•    Car congestion; more global warming; exhaustion of natural resources; bulldozing our trees; swamps/areas covered up by more buildings
•    Don’t trade lands; 1/3 of ours taken by military
•    Military exercises
•    Our people are being tossed back and forth
•    We’ll fight for our lives
•    Buildup because of China / North Korea
•    Chamber of Commerce – only out for their own benefit
•    Impact will change impact on this island
•    Unemployment – large businesses will wipe out small businesses
•    Population increase
•    Find options for Chamorros
•    Governor, Stand up and stop taking orders; YOU should give orders!
•    Where will our children attend schools?
•    People of Guam as defined in Organic Act should have right to have plebiscite to vote on military expansion (Fuetsan Famalayan)….’yes’ or ‘no’ to have military here.
•    Marianas Trench – radiation dumpsite?
•    Is Guam a floating command ship?  Guam merely a military outpost?

Here say…

•    Veterans going to be sent down to Navy for dispensary?  Any illness would be urgent; don’t appreciate that.  Benefits, care, access to veterans affairs.  There’s bureaucracy whether feds or local.  Is there any kind of help?  We shouldn’t be categorized as 2nd/3rd class citizens.
•    Schools – 4 new schools on Chamorro Land Trust land.  We don’t have land to give.  GPSS was given property from Feds owned by Ivan deSoto Blas.  75 acres.  This could be sectionized to be a school.  Much land taken from Chamorro Land Trust.  Is military going to condemn land to use it?
•    Kilo Wharf – bigger because of missiles to be put here.
•    Administration and Legislature MUST work together!
•     Cannot do anything to stop them.  If there’s an issue, let’s write it down.
•    Landfill-AAFB closed theirs.  Where are they going to take theirs now?

Understanding our Chamorro People

•    Resurgence of our culture cannot be suppressed
•    Stand up and be strong!
•    Reunite with rest of the Chamorros
•    We’ll fight for dear life
•    Are we the garbage of the U.S.?
•    People of Guam to make this their home.  Make a stand as a community.  Have to think together.
•    Human Remains – some at Gun Beach.  Something’s got to be done.
•    Want written commitments to not use ancestral lands.
•    Governor needs to fix the land; fix the place.  It seems he doesn’t care….not even cleaning his own living room.
•    Enough is enough!

Suggestions

•    Have village meetings to disseminate information
•    Visit new schools.  Look where military houses are being built.  Rt 3A, Dededo, etc.
•    Tumon Beach should also be for Chamorro fishing, not just jet ski
•    Feds—if you want to preserve wildlife, indigenous people are endangered species!
•    Clubs/Bars – not enough GPD to cover military.  Extremely aware of influx.  Already talking to subcommittees.  OEA trying to get info to do grants to accommodate.  Community will decide where girlie clubs will go.

• Do education and protocol
• Have building where GPD and military police can co-habitate
• Use Navy buses

•    Communications

• Get community involved first
• Then get contractors and everyone else involved

•    Understand our Chamorro People

• Dealing with our issues permanently
• 2nd class citizens perception
• Understand our land issues
• ‘they’ don’t know who we are
• ‘they’ forget about us
• All our people want is RESPECT
• Whatever Congress does affects us
• Get our land back
• Articulate who we are before they come
• It comes from within
• We don’t want money on war reparation as much as we want respect!
• ‘atan baba’
• Educate people from the outside
• Help Chamorros heal