By By Lisa G. Perkins

Copyright guampdn

As a CHamoru and former Guam resident, I am outraged by the governor’s plan to spend over $700 million on a new hospital when the 2019 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report shows renovating Guam Memorial Hospital at $761 million is equally viable.

Why abandon a fixable facility, leaving another eyesore on our island?

Leadership blames GMH’s decay—crumbling infrastructure, mold, and lost accreditation—on Guam’s harsh weather. This is unacceptable.

Mismanagement, not weather, is the root cause; a well-run hospital thrives anywhere. The government has no business managing hospitals, as proven by 40 years of mismanagement at GMH.

Instead of excuses, let’s use these conditions as an incentive to innovate and make GMH viable with resilient designs and expert management. Yet, millions—like the recent $40 million allocation—continue to be wasted on a broken system.

My family, fortunate to afford care off-island at Queen’s Medical Center (1859, 575 beds, Honolulu) or Tripler Army Medical Center (1948, 450 beds, Honolulu), shouldn’t have to leave.

These hospitals, along with Straub (1921, 159 beds, Honolulu) and Hilo (1971, 21 beds, Big Island), are managed by nonprofit or military boards with expertise in hospital administration, not government bureaucrats. Their success proves that professional oversight delivers quality care, as my family experienced with emergency and $1 million+ treatments. For those without means, GMH’s neglect is a betrayal—they deserve better.

Now is the time for real leadership to step up and do right by Guam’s people.

Our leaders must end this cycle of waste, demand accountability, and partner with nonprofits to modernize GMH.

I urge our community to rise and compel our leaders to act for all, not just the privileged.