FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE (August 14, 2019)—
Senator Therese Terlaje thanks her colleagues in the 35th Guam Legislature for
their unanimous support of Bill 159-35 during session today.
Bill 159 would
increase emergency shelter capacity for children, specifically granting the
Director of the Department of Public Health and Social Services the discretion
to allow more than 12 children to be sheltered in the new 7,000-sq. ft. I Guma Mina’åse’ Sr. Mary Brigid Perez,
R.S.M.
Extending beyond the current maximum capacity of 12 is critical because there are an estimated 35 children on the foster home waitlist along with 294 children living homeless. The new children’s shelter, measured at 7,000-square feet, is set to be completed in October this year. Senator Terlaje notes the bill does not lessen any federal mandates in regards to the treatment of children placed in these shelters nor does it lessen the child to caretaker ratios currently set by law.
Thank you to all my colleagues for rising in support of Bill 159. While this is not a solution to the problem of abuse and homelessness with our children, anything we can do to promptly get them out of harm’s way and into a safer living environment is a big step while we continue to work on more permanent solutions. In addition to the support of Bill 159, I ask our community to pull together to support our children and ensure they’re given permanent safety, stability, and consistent love in their homes.
Senator Therese Terlaje, Chairperson for the Committee on Health, Tourism, Historic Preservation, Land and Justice
Senator Terlaje
acknowledges and appreciates the work of Sister Mary Brigid Perez, former First
Lady Christine Calvo, Rigalu Foundation, and DPHSS for their hard work and
vision along with our foster families for opening their hearts and homes for
our children. She also thanks her women colleagues in the last Guam Legislature
for their special attention to the rape of a homeless child in an abandoned
structure and inviting the help of the shelters, the homeless coalition, CPS,
GHURA, Guam Housing Corp., and GPD to leave no stone unturned in seeking ways
to prevent the abuse of homeless children.
Several Senators
expressed support on session floor including Senator Kelly Marsh (Taitano) who
said she feels close to this issue adding from experience that emergency
shelters “can make a difference in the life of a child.” Senator Amanda Shelton
noted when we put foster children in a home or even a group home, “that’s
moving in the right direction.” Vice Speaker Telena Nelson added, “this is a
very grave situation on our island and I commend the sponsor of this bill for the
innovative approach to helping address the needs of children.”
The property in
Barrigada Heights originally was part of the Chamorro Land Trust but
transferred to Government of Guam for the shelter.
Senator Terlaje added
all 14 senators to be co-sponsors for the Bill 159, which was sent to the
voting file. Session resumes Thursday, August 15 at 10:30am.
FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE (June 19, 2019 – Hagåtña) – Senator Therese Terlaje remains focused on preventing the removal of historic artifacts at Northwest Field and sent the following letter to the Governor calling for a pause on the clearing and construction at the proposed Live Fire Training Range Complex at Northwest Field to allow for a thorough assessment of the cultural significance of at least four recent discoveries.
See Senator Therese Terlaje’s letter attached here.
FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE (June 19, 2019 – Hagåtña) – I acknowledge that there are personnel actions pending, however, I am deeply troubled by this recent move by the administration to dismiss the State Historic Preservation Officer in the midst of one of the largest construction projects in our recent history, including the bulldozing of 5000 acres of limestone forest and numerous historic sites. We are in desperate need of persistent and loud voices pushing for historic preservation particularly as DOD continues to insist destruction is “unavoidable”.
The SHPO has been one of Guam’s biggest and sometimes only advocate for the protection of precious cultural and historical resources while many remain silent.
The SHPO, in her official capacity, had to witness and carry the burden of representing Guam and the Chamorro people in the face of ten years of the largest buildup in the history of peace. I had high hopes this new administration would help shore up the legal or other expert resources that office needs to truly represent Guam. To put someone inexperienced in an acting capacity leaves Guam vulnerable to further bulldozing of historic sites and leaves Guam voiceless during a critical period of potential harm to our culture and our environment. Silencing and intimidation are the opposite of standing up for the people of Guam.
FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE (June 14, 2019) Senator Therese M. Terlaje with the co-sponsorship of Senator Mary Torres, introduced Bill 159-35 (COR), to increase emergency shelter capacity, so that CPS can get children at risk of harm off the streets and into a home where they can sleep without fear of being raped by a drunken man, who enters their makeshift shelter, with no doors, in the jungle.
Senator Terlaje’s efforts were prompted by the sexual assault of a four (4) year old girl and a disabled girl who were living in an abandoned structure in the Dededo area back in April 2018. A series of meetings and roundtables with Senator Therese Terlaje, Senator Torres, and other woman senators in the previous term, GPD, CPS, GHURA, GHC, the Guam Homeless Coalition, and others, repeatedly highlighted the shortage of shelter for children living in an environment of harm or potential harm. This shortage was an impediment to CPS, who by law, has the authority to remove children found to be living in an environment of harm or potential harm without a court order and place them in protective custody, pending further investigation and long term solution.
The bill would immediately increase the capacity of a brand new children’s group home being constructed beyond the current limit of 12 children, in order to urgently address the 35 children on the foster home wait list and some of the estimated 294 children living homeless.
According to Terlaje, discussions with BOSSA/DPHSS indicate that additional capacity for children’s’ shelter will be available as early as this summer, upon the expected completion of the $1.4M federally funded DPHSS I Guma Mina’åse’ Sr. Mary Brigid Perez, R.S.M. The approximately 7,000 square foot facility, led by the efforts of the Rigalu Foundation and former First Lady Christine Calvo, can accommodate beyond the current maximum of 12 children under current law, rules and regulations. It is the intention of Bill No. 159-35 (COR), to authorize the Director of DPHSS the discretion to increase the capacity of this group child care facility or foster home to accommodate a greater number of children in need of emergency shelter.
photo of plans of I Guma Mina’åse’ Sr. Mary Brigid Perez, R.S.M.
DPHSS Director Linda DeNorcey has indicated her full support of the legislation’s intent to address the gaps in emergency shelters for children.
“No child should be subject to sexual or other abuse on Guam for lack of a safe shelter. It is our hope that this bill can be passed swiftly to immediately accommodate as many children as feasible in the facility, including temporary shelter of the 35 children on the waiting list for foster homes and those additional children who are currently homeless, who CPS determines are in need of immediate shelter. I commend BOSSA/DPHSS and the RigaluFoundation for their vision and work in the completion of the facility, and stand ready to help expedite the placement of children as soon as possible, ” Terlaje stated.
photo of plans of I Guma Mina’åse’ Sr. Mary Brigid Perez, R.S.MJune 14, 2019 photo of construction site of I Guma Mina’åse’ Sr. Mary Brigid Perez, R.S.M
FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE (June 14, 2019 – Hagåtña) – Senator Therese Terlaje continues to ask the Governor for a pause to be placed on the clearing of vegetation and construction of the Live Fire Training Range Complex (LFTRC) at Northwest Field to give more time for the State Historic Preservation Officer and community to consider the importance of the newly discovered historic artifacts, and for the Governor to lead discussions with the military as to whether the additional historic properties can be avoided at the proposed construction area adjacent to the ancient village of Ritidian.
Recently, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) was notified of at least three more new discoveries of additional historic sites during the clearing of the forest in the proposed Known Distance Rifle Range (KDRR) area which is one of five proposed firing ranges at LFTRC. One of the sites discovered had at least 400 pieces of pottery found in a dense area, and another area encompassing 7 acres of artifacts needed further surveying. The Marine Corps Activity Guam report noted that the 3 areas are probable sites or extensions of one larger site, pending confirmation by additional investigations. The properties found contained fire features (potential earth ovens), Latte Period ceramic scatters, various lithics, and shell artifacts. In this proposed Northwest Field construction area are 94 known historic sites which is separate from the 3 new historic sites discovered. Fourteen of the ninety-four historic sites have already been excavated and removed from the area. There is a concern that more new discoveries will be made as clearing continues for the 18-acre KDRR range. Additionally, the Multi-purpose Machine Gun (MPMG) Range area, which is the largest of the five ranges at LFTRC encompassing 59 acres is slated to be cleared next. SHPO is concerned that there are already too many new discoveries of historic properties to ignore their frequency and has contended that more surveying is necessary to ascertain if the area was an ancient village.
“Many promises have been made by leaders to protect and defend our culture and environment. Despite numerous objections and public comments shared by Guam SHPO, Guam National Wildlife Refuge, fishermen, government agencies, original landowners and concerned community members over several years, DOD has continued to move forward with the clearing and construction of the Live Fire Training Range Complex at Northwest Field putting at risk historic sites along with at least 187 acres of limestone forests, and year round public access to Ritidian. The time for action is now. As we have seen by the destruction of Magua, the clearing of 14 historic sites in the firing range area already, and the new discoveries of more historic sites, a week from now may be too late,” Terlaje states.
FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE (June 13, 2019 – Hagåtña)
In an effort to assert Guam’s position in response to the destruction of historic sites and environmental contamination, Senator Therese Terlaje has introduced Bill No. 163-35 (COR) to allow the Attorney General of Guam to hire a lawyer on a contingency fee basis to assist the government of Guam in the protection of historical sites and the environment. In a contingency fee arrangement, a lawyer is paid a portion of the amount awarded to the government of Guam if the outcome is successful.
“We must pursue every avenue possible to ensure our cultural and historic sites are protected from destruction and that our environment is safeguarded. Our agencies often need legal assistance immediately or complex litigation, and this will give the Attorney General flexibility to explore all avenues of providing urgent legal response on behalf of the people of Guam,” stated Terlaje.
FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE (May 24, 2019 – Hagåtña)
Senator Therese Terlaje reiterated her concerns during the two day annual Programmatic Agreement workshop that the avoidance of adverse impacts to historic sites is not being fully achieved and instead the “data recovery” which is the removal of a sampling of archaeologically relevant material (i.e. latte, lusong, earth ovens, pottery pieces, etc.), is often the option being utilized for several important historic sites. This includes the Northwest Field live fire training range location on the plateau above to Ritidian/Litekyan, where over 100 historic sites have been discovered and 14 will not be protected.
Senator Terlaje implored the DOD officials during the meeting to preserve the historic properties as they are, in their place and together with the landscape, for people to experience in person and for future technology to help us decipher the history of the Chamorro people. She also advocated that historic sites adjacent to Ritidian and Finegayan near the proposed construction areas be prioritized to be nominated to the National Register of Historic Properties, such as the the entire archeological district near Pugua Point, Double Reef and Finegayan. Guam’s SHPO has recommended this whole area be nominated to the Register but it was rejected. SHPO again asked it be reconsidered as a traditional cultural property (TCP) for preservation because of its significance with at least 17 historic properties.
“These PA meetings remind us that the Navy is not required to avoid historic sites in their construction. The DOD may clear and grade and bulldoze these properties regardless of historic significance, when their construction plans require it. Pursuant to the Agreement, some but not all artifacts are removed from the site and stored in bags and boxes for our children, but the Navy is not obligated to preserve for us the ability to stand next to a lusong and look at the cliff, ocean, and surroundings and imagine why our ancestors chose that location to live. We cannot put an earth oven in a museum and fully appreciate that it was made from the earth and literally built into the earth. These historic and cultural sites are the last remnants of our story as a Chamorro people and must be preserved within the cultural landscape of our island to provide more depth and a better understanding of our ancestors,” Terlaje states.
Updates were also provided at this year’s annual workshop meeting on the Live Fire Training Range Complex at Northwest Field near Ritidian. Clearing of vegetation, including the cutting down and uprooting of trees has begun in the last few weeks as DOD continues to move forward with clearing of some of Guam’s pristine limestone forests. Already, new discoveries of dense artifacts including at least 400 pieces of pottery pieces have been uncovered in the short time that clearing has started.
Senator Terlaje has sent several letters over the last three years to the previous Governor and today to the current Governor detailing her concerns with the Programmatic Agreement, requesting for a halt of the clearing and construction where historic properties and limestone forest habitat will be impacted. She will continue to urge Adelup and DOD to use all resources available to stop any further destruction of our ancient villages, cultural sites and limestone forests and revisit the timeline and “data recovery” plan that is in place for the historic properties adjacent to Ritidian before further clearing is done.
For the third consecutive year, at the invitation of the State Historic Preservation Office, Senator Therese Terlaje attended the Annual Guam Programmatic Agreement (PA) Workshop. This was the 7th annual PA Workshop hosted by the Department of Defense, pursuant to the 2011 Programmatic Agreement relative to historic properties affected by DOD buildup projects, with PA signatories, various leaders from the DOD regional command, representatives from the Governor’s office and members of the 35th Guam Legislature.
A ‘rough road’ as military buildup projects are in ‘full force’
Anumita Kaur, Pacific Daily News Published 1:58 a.m. ChT May 24, 2019 | Updated 11:47 a.m. ChT May 24,
Members from the military, State Historic Preservation Office, Guam Preservation Trust, senate and governor’s office met Thursday at the Guam Museum for the seventh annual 2011 Programmatic Agreement workshop. (Photo: Anumita Kaur/PDN)
Four military projects that may impact the island’s historical sites are well underway, Marine Corps Activity Guam said Thursday, and Guam leaders are concerned about protecting the island’s history.
Construction has started on three of the projects, and will start on the fourth soon, military representatives told community leaders at a workshop Thursday. Artifacts have been uncovered during construction at all four sites.
The projects are part of the military buildup, in which as many as 5,000 Marines from Okinawa and elsewhere will be transferred to a new base — Camp Blaz — as part of a larger realignment of U.S. military forces in the Asia-Pacific region.
Changing or halting construction? Military calls it ‘unlikely.’
Lynda Aguon, division supervisor with State Historic Preservation Office, and Sens. Therese Terlaje and Kelly Marsh posed the possibility of changing construction plans or preserving historic discoveries on-site based on the inadvertent discoveries. Data recovery is not enough, they said.
“We don’t want just the data,” Terlaje said. “We want the historical sites.”
Aguon asked if there is criteria to halt construction altogether.
“We keep discovering things, we keep discovering things,” Aguon said. “Can’t we just stop?”
This is unlikely, the military said, due to the pressing needs of the buildup.
“Will we preserve in place for latte shards from a pot that was dropped? That’s not going to happen because I know the ranges have to be where they are, and that’s not going to force us to reconsider this,” said Al Borja, an environmental director with Marine Corps Activity Guam. “It’s not that preservation in place is impossible, but if it affects something as important as the firing lanes and the configuration of the range, I would say it’s very unlikely that we’ll preserve it in place.”
‘Coming full force’
“I have to say, 2018, 2019 has been a rough road,” Aguon said. “The projects have been slow in the beginning, but now they’re just coming full force.”
Members from the military, State Historic Preservation Office, Guam Preservation Trust, senate and governor’s office met Thursday at the Guam Museum for the seventh annual 2011 Programmatic Agreement workshop. The buildup agreement identifies historical properties, explores the military’s potential effects on them and lays guidelines to mitigate these effects. It will remain in effect for the duration of the build-up.
“We need to continue to preserve what we have left,” Aguon said. “Preserving every little ounce, every little bit of our indigenous people that provided to this land, gave to this island, must be preserved in any way, shape or form.”
Guam State Historic Preservation Officer and staff inspected the area where lusong and latte from ancient Chamoru village Magua’ were relocated, on Nov. 7, 2018. (Photo: Courtesy of State Historic Preservation Office)
The four major projects that may disrupt historic sites are:
the construction of the central Marine Corps base in Dededo;
construction of the live-fire training range complex at Northwest Field and Ritidian;
water well development at Andersen Air Force Base near Potts Junction on Route 3; and
construction of an urban combat training at Andersen South.
The four sites will be continuously monitored by two archaeologists on-staff with Marine Corps Activity Guam. As per the agreement, any discovery halts work and Historic Preservation is notified, the military said.
In total, 12 buildup projects are complete. Eight projects are currently under construction. Eleven projects are pending construction.
Vegetation cleared, most ground work complete
The construction of the base in Dededo, referred to as project J-001B, is the furthest moved along project among these. Most vegetation is cleared and the majority of the initial ground disturbance is complete, the military said.
Two sites, totaling about three acres, on this project were identified during military construction to contain historic artifacts. Archaeological data recovery, to preserve found artifacts, was performed at the first site in January this year. The second site remains fenced off from construction activity, pending further archaeological investigation.
In addition to the two sites identified, the ancient Magua’ village is on the project’s land. News of the military clearing the site of the ancient village Magua’ stirred controversy in October 2018; however, military work continued, with officials stating that found artifacts were secured, but preserving the site itself would impede Marine relocation.
Other projects’ progress
Crews are currently removing vegetation at the live-fire training range complex project at Northwest Field, referred to as P-715.
The vegetation removal did uncover Latte Period ceramic scatter, the military said. A contract to provide data recovery on the site was being finalized as of last month.
The water well development project, known as P-103, no longer conflicts with historic properties, the military said. The project, on Route 3 by Potts Junction, was adjusted due to the discovery of lusong, or ancient mortars. The project’s construction has continued, which entails 65.1 acres of property and the construction of six water wells.
The fourth project, referred to as J-755, discussed at Thursday’s meeting has not begun ground-disturbing activities. The project is for an urban combat training facility at Andersen South. Construction will begin soon, as a contract was awarded early this year, the military said. However, remnants of lånchos, or ancient ranches, are of concern on the project’s site, according to the State Historic Preservation Office.
More monitors
Throughout the meeting, senators and members of the State Historic Preservation Office and Preservation Trust reiterated a need for more archaeological monitors to be considered, to ensure ancient artifacts are properly identified and accounted for.
Attendees and military members went on site tours in the afternoon, to view South Finegyan, NCTAMS gate area and various locations at Andersen Air Force Base.
How will the hospital’s urgent capital improvements projects be funded in the Fiscal Year 2020 budget? That’s the question health oversight Sen. Therese Terlaje is asking.
She said the governor’s Guam Memorial Hospital budget request is missing funding sources for major capital improvement projects.
“In particular three that are urgent that are not at all included in their budget request,” she said. “So I haven’t heard a plan as to how those are going to be funded and why they’re not included in the regular budget request.”
The hospital asking for $61 million for FY2020. $25 million would come from special funds. The remaining $36 million – which cites no funding source – slated to be used for capital improvement projects and operations.
Three of those projects deemed “urgent” by GMH – a $20 million information system the hospital has noted would help answer Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services reporting requirements quicker. – A $6 million power upgrade to GMH’s electrical panel. CMS citing this as a hazard for the hospital – A $5 million structural roof repair
“The roof that’s just common sense at this point,” Terlaje said. “We can’t have patients and our families walking in there with a leaking roof. They’re not going to have any comfort in the care they’re going to receive if we can’t fix the roof.”
The senator said she’s not sure why Adelup would leave these projects’ funding source off the table. These three items raised the eyebrows of CMS, jeopardizing GMH’s Medicare status.
“I’m trying to keep my eye on the revenues that are being brought in,” Terlaje said. “The revenues that were projected to be brought and the reports right now look like they’re bringing in more that they’ve projected to bring in and if that’s the case, then I can’t see why we’re going to delay giving to the hospital what it needs especially for these projects.”
Magah’aga Lou Leon Guerrero, during a tour of the hospital in February, pledged $30 million to GMH and that’s how much Terlaje says these projects will cost. The governor said at the time she would address GMH’s yearly $30 million shortfall with $6 million from a CMS adjustment to GMH’s base rate and by stepping up tax collections.
“We don’t really need to wait for a dedicated funding source to fund the hospital,” the governor said. “My contention has always been that if the hospital needs $30 million from the government to make sure that our patients and our people are given the quality of health care than we need to give the $30 million.”
We tried to follow up with the governor, but our requests for an interview were declined, and Adelup Spokeswoman Krystal Paco said KUAM may have taken the governor’s comments “out of context.”
Meanwhile, Terlaje says if there are excess revenues available, they need to be put on the table for an accurate read of GovGuam’s finances heading into the FY20 budget hearings.
“If they’ve got another source of funding this, I think that should be put up front,” she said.
Hospital CEO Lillian Posadas tells KUAM News from February to April, the hospital received $10.7 million from CMS’ rebasement. That money covering FY 2014-2018.
