Base buildup in Guam means opportunity

In 2006, the United States and Japan reached an agreement on the transfer of 8,000 military personnel from Okinawa to the island of Guam. There were two main problems in the way of this expansion; Guam’s obsolete commercial port and have access to enough workers to complete the projects. This led to changes in immigration law that would allow Guam employers to hire seasonal workers who don’t count toward their 66,000 annual allowance.

The first order of business is underway with a massive $193 million dollar port improvement project currently underway. Guam’s commercial port handles 100,000 containers annually, but to handle the construction materials needed to build bases, hospitals, schools and more, the port will need the capacity to handle twice that amount. Expansions to the current dock and container storage area will be needed to handle the influx of ships and supply containers.

infrastructure improvements

With the two major barriers, infrastructure issues will also need to be addressed. The islands’ infrastructure of roads, utilities, and bridges is outdated, to say the least, and to support the construction of the Guam base, they will need to be upgraded. In July 2010, an environmental impact study was completed to determine the most responsible use of the aquifer and to evaluate improvements to the islands’ water and sewer treatment facilities.

Bottom line

Construction jobs may be slowing down in the United States, but the construction of the Guam base promises more opportunities than ever. Bidding requests from Guam have already started pouring in with around $4 billion already awarded to seven companies. The pace is picking up on military expansion plans and very soon, there will likely be additions of residential housing, roads, sidewalks, and everything else needed to make modern conveniences a reality for more people. Of course, local citizens are concerned about the impact of so many people moving to their island at the same time, but with proper planning, building the Guam base promises to be an opportunity for people on multiple levels.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back To Top