Speaker Frank F. Blas Jr. said recent exchanges during the governor’s fifth special session, along with a Superior Court ruling against the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority, reinforced serious concerns about the administration’s hospital siting and procurement strategy. In a statement Wednesday, Blas said sworn testimony has shown there is no barrier to building a new hospital at multiple locations, contradicting the administration’s claim that only one site is viable.
Blas said the timeline of GHURA’s loan procurement revealed no written residential development plan existed before December 2024, raising “serious legal and procedural concerns” about actions taken by the governor’s office to pursue the properties at issue. He added that lawmakers still have not received adequate documentation despite repeated requests, including a formal Freedom of Information Act inquiry, hindering their ability to make informed decisions.
The speaker also asserted that the Legislature should not intervene in the ongoing dispute between the governor and the attorney general, noting that the matter is already being addressed in the courts. With substantial federal funds at stake, Blas said due diligence must be exercised by all branches and warned against efforts to “remove the referee with minutes left on the clock” because one side disagrees with the AG’s position.
Blas said the bipartisan supermajority that rejected the governor’s attempt to bypass the attorney general reflects lawmakers’ commitment to accountability and adherence to Guam law. He said he remains focused on ensuring that plans for Guam’s healthcare infrastructure are handled “properly, lawfully, and with the full confidence of the people we serve.”