The beginning of the end

By Vincent Akimoto, M.D.

Where it began, I can’t begin to knowing. The idea for a new Guam Memorial Hospital has been growing strong since ever since.

Six years later, Spring 2024 will quickly become the summer and still Governor Lou Leon Guerrero is bickering with the legislature. In defiance of the people’s elected representatives, the governor has allowed GMH to fall into ruin while she fights to build her grandiose hospital complex at Edda Agaga in the village of Barrigada. Meanwhile, back at GMH, toxic black mold proliferates where pregnant brown ladies deliver their babies.

In this moment, we are all dying. Some of us dying sooner than others. Guam doesn’t have time for this political paralysis of analysis. For too many people, especially the grassroots, things need to be better now.

Out among the prehistoric kelp forests and grasslands of Ysengsong Road, Senot Blas lovingly labors on his CHamoru Land Trust homestead. He just celebrated his 82nd birthday under God’s blue skies but his weary wife just wants running water. Out there on the frontiers of Dededo, under the long snuffed out shadows of Skateland and the old Flea Market, many families have been seemingly forgotten by the blind ambitions of Adelup.

On the wrong side of Swamp Road, the elderly Blas family lives with no water and no power just like their grassroots neighbors who have gotten too used to following GovGuam self-serving rules. For twenty years since Carl Gutierrez left Adelup, the CLTC apparently still can’t find Senot Blas and has failed to bring infrastructure to his CHamoru community in the middle of Dededo’s urban development.

People on Nevermind Road have been waiting for power and water since the Miocene Period, it seems. GoogleEarth terrestial coordinates 13.5475 degrees North and 144.88642 degrees East easily locates these poor Guamanians. Before worrying about building new hospital infrastructure in Barrigada where nobody now lives, Governor Lou should go to Dededo and give these poor people water and power.

Speaking of Barrigada, the Na’vi people from the movie “Avatar” called to remind us that we were supposed to protect the Earth, not promote reckless overdevelopment.

In our pursuit of a new GMH let us not destroy the virgin Barrigada environment and harm the indigenous creatures who depend on that yet untouched natural world for survival. We need to protect undeveloped natural habitats like Edda Agaga and ensure that future generations will have a healthy and sustainable world. Rather than turn that beautiful land into an ugly hospital complex, let’s instead turn it into a nature preserve!

Much study still need be done in this amazing area in Barrigada we now know as Edda Agaga. Profound indigenous questions remain yet unanswered like why is the dirt red? Are we certain that we are not destroying priceless cultural artifacts and sacred ancient latte sites? Is there medicinal value in the rare and unique plants and fungi that only grow there? What does this land tell us about our ancestors?

Geologically, Barrigada is the product of great tectonic forces that uplifted an ancient atoll-like reef-lagoon complex that eventually formed the pure-white limestone that now forms the life-giving bedrock of Guam’s aquifer. Barrigada topography is a vortex of metaphysical forces just waiting to be studied and protected from reckless overdevelopment.

Its ok if you want to turn Tamuning into an economic wasteland and kill the golden goose of tourism down on Tumon bay but don’t destroy Barrigada in the process. Keep Barrigada free. Free Edda Agaga. No more bulldozers. No to thoughtless progress. Keep Barrigada free.

We need instead to rise to the moment and demonstrate resolve, courage, empathy, respect, and elemental decency for our grassroots people still waiting for water and power. Before our government goes tearing up more of our land, let’s take care of the land where our people already struggle to live.

Saina ma’ase’.

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Dr. Vincent Akimoto is a family medicine doctor and co-founder of American Medical Center.