Hafa Adai everyone!
I have signed a bill that helps bridge the gap in funding shortfall for the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority Maternal and Child Healthcare Renovation Project. This new law allows us to move forward to the next phase and seek financing assistance to fund the renovation.
In total, there was an approximately $5 million shortfall in the financing plan.
Working with the Department of Interior, my team was able to secure $3.5 million in Capital Improvement funds.
Bill 289-33, which is now law, provides the authorization to borrow an additional $2.2 million for a total of $9.2 million without adverse affect on current borrowing.
This will be welcome news to pregnant moms and hospital staff who have pushed for the project.
Currently, moms in labor have to move from room, to room, to room to get different services during the labor process. This project puts moms at the center of the services, so they revolve around her and the baby.
The plan for the modern maternity ward includes large, comfortable, modern rooms, where women and their families wait for birth, deliver, and then care for their newborns, without separation during those critical first minutes and hours.
I want to thank GMH Hospital Administrator PeterJohn Camacho, and CFO Benita Manglona and the nurses, doctors and entire staff at the hospital who have continued to work hard to help our moms stay comfortable when they are delivering their beautiful babies.
I also want to thank the Legislature for providing the mechanism to allow the government to attain a line of credit, revolving loan fund and/or a direct loan to fund this GMHA project.
Thank you, God bless us all and God bless Guam!
