Auntie Charo's Soapbox

From an Okinawa newspaper.

Retired Marine General Stackhouse doesn't believe in the move of the Marines
from Okinawa to Guam.

I'm not so sure I disagree with him, but not for the same reasons. I'm not
so sure Guam can accommodate such an immense change in population or the
activity preceding the planned move. It will most assuredly create chaos on
this small island. Much will have to be done to improve the infrastructure.

Then there is the matter of the billions of dollars and the inept management
of Guam's leaders in preparing for the move and more than that their bulging
eyeballs at the amount of money involved and just how much of it they can
get.

Going to be interesting to see what develops over the next few years. Going
to be a lot of gut wrenching and unsociable exchanges of pleasantries
between 'them' and 'us'. A gnashing of teeth and biting of the lips?

There is already those who are unhappy with DOD having it's own school
system because Guam couldn't, and still can't, operate a quality one of it's
own. The current young lady AG is closing down schools every week and
rightfully so because of mismanagement and neglect.

What if the military decided to build it's own power and water systems
because Guam's isn't up to speed? True, they'll need help with what they
have now, but need to put some of their own resources into it. But, what
resources? Most of what monies are taken into the coffers goes to
government employee salaries, great government of Guam retiree benefits,
free' COLA (even for those born and raised here and many of whom are
millionaires), leaving little else for services paid for by the taxpaying
public.

Do I rant? Yes, I guess I do. I'm one of the taxpayers I refer to.

n.b. I do believethat we're not mature enough to handle this great gift of Marines and that we'll somehow screw it up.....my two pennies, of course!