7 Jul 2008

Governor says Guam needs infrastructure upgrade for US troops arrival

4:01 pm on 7 July 2008

The Governor of Guam says the territory needs more financial commitment from the United States Government to fund essential upgrades of local facilities and infrastructure.

From 2010, the U.S. is to move 8,000 marines and their families from Okinawa in Japan, with both countries helping to pay the 15 billion US dollars required.

But Governor Felix Camacho says improvements are needed to infrastructure, such as systems for water, wastewater, power generation, as well as seaports, airports, road and schools.

He says there are also environmental issues while the provision of public safety and health needs to be improved.

"It is beyond our means and our capacity to fund this and finance it. Even if we were to align ourselves with the private sector and have them fund it they still need to make money back and a profit on top of that. And to leave the burden with the people of Guam to pay that bill is simply unacceptable."

Governor Camacho is visiting New Zealand in a bid to team up with New Zealand businesses interested in opportunities there.