9 May 2007

Guam politician worried about impact of marines' transfer from Japan

2:38 pm on 9 May 2007

The office of Guam's representative in the US congress admits there are concerns about the social impact that the upcoming military build-up will have in the territory.

Next year, the United States is to begin the transferral of 8,000 marines from bases in Japan to Guam in a gradual process to be completed by 2014.

A wide range of military and infrastructure construction is being planned to facilitate the build-up.

Guam's Congresswoman, Madeleine Bordallo, recently announced the territory would see between 400 million and one billion US dollars in military construction a year for up to 10 years.

Her press secretary, Cathy Gault, says some locals are concerned about what the build-up will do to Guam...

"Socially, politically, just changing the face: new roads, new buildings, new whatever... we are a small island so any change in one area affects all others. So yes there are some concerns and yes there are ongoing efforts now to begin to address what may happen. It's hard to say at this point."

Cathy Gault, the press secretary for Guam's Congresswoman, Madeleine Bordallo.