I HAVE always been an advocate for economic policy that enhances and promotes the local economy and protects the residents of Guam from external decision-making processes, especially when it comes to the military buildup. I also continually search for and study ways to find positive initiatives related to the buildup.

The recent decision by the Navy, to re-examine all aspects of the military buildup in the supplemental EIS, gives Guam another chance to convince the military and Congress to enter into an “out of the box” arrangement for housing – not only for additional military personnel coming to Guam, but also for those who are already here – one that reduces the cost of the buildup by using private capital and does not grow the funding required to support the operations of the relocation.

This “out of the box” idea, in fact, has become the standard method of building new housing and renovating existing ones on most military bases and surrounding communities to enhance the quality of life and improve morale of military personnel. The program is the Department of Defense Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI), which has been used for over a decade, and something I have put forward in many discussions with military officials and congressional personnel.

The National Defense Authorization Act of FY 1996 provided the authorization to DOD to work with the private sector to build, renovate and sustain military housing. This MHPI allows DOD to obtain private-sector financing and expertise to improve housing for military personnel and their dependents.

This initiative, if utilized on Guam, will create jobs and increase government of Guam revenues that will go toward enhancing the services provided to the people of Guam. Private developers and financiers could be solicited by DOD through the MHPI to replace existing base housing that requires major renovation/repair and any construction of additional houses by building subdivisions using private capital financing for military personnel and their dependents, near and around military installations, on privately owned land that will generate property tax. Instead of stripping the local economy, real estate industry, and the government of potential revenues, the use of these existing authorizations under the MHPI will allow Guam to take full advantage of future military plans.

If this program is good enough and works for the military in Hawaii, Texas, Kentucky and New York, then it is good enough and can work right here on Guam.

With the uncertainty of how many military personnel and their dependents will actually be moved to Guam and whether they will be stationed here or rotating, the government and the people of Guam have a responsibility to understand the advantages and disadvantages of such a move and how existing federal and local policies can contribute positively to the people and the government. No more do we want to see advertisements during election season of children who appear to be living in squalor on the civilian side of a military base fence, looking in to what is supposedly a “better life.” We are a proud, giving community that does not covet what is inside the fence but rather welcomes the airmen, seamen and marines to join us outside the fence.

The MHPI appears to be one solution to a problem that may affect Guam in the future regarding the planned military relocation. As the MHPI seeks to involve the local private sector and government on Guam, it shows a sense of cooperation and good faith that this military relocation does involve the best interest of both parties when it comes to economic policy and decision making on the DOD side.

Should the existing military housing on Guam be moved outside the fence, that would provide more than enough land inside the fence for more security-sensitive activity such as firing ranges. It also would not require the taking of more land or the drilling of more than 30 new water wells on-base.

We all must work toward creating a situation that looks after the interest of the people and government of Guam. Although the MHPI provides one example of federal policies that may have positive effects on our local economy, our eyes must remain open to other possibilities for economic growth and prosperity with or without a military relocation to Guam. Only then will we be able to sustainably move forward on a path toward self-growth and self-reliance.