Search Through All NoticesHagåtña, Guam - To stabilize the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority (GMHA) and keep its financial condition on track, Acting Governor Joshua Tenorio has signed Executive Order No. 2023-12 relative to establishing the GMHA Fiscal Review Committee.
“After discussing the issue with Governor Lou Leon Guerrero, we believe this is one of the necessary steps to ensure fiscal stability at the Guam Memorial Hospital going forward. Executive Order No. 2023-12 is part of a three-pronged approach to improve conditions at GMHA and ensure the hospital is able to provide the best services possible until a new hospital is constructed to replace our current, aged facility,” said Acting Governor Tenorio. “Earlier this week, our administration committed $20 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding to assist GMHA in maintaining its facility, specifically instituting much-needed, unfunded urgent structural repairs.”
The Leon Guerrero-Tenorio Administration also pledged to work with the Legislature to identify $30 million in local funds to pay vendors. Recently, Senator Jesse Lujan introduced Bill 164-37, which aims to provide funding to GMHA after hospital officials testified during a legislative oversight hearing that GMHA has incurred an outstanding balance of approximately $26 million in unpaid vendor payables, supplies, travel nurses, contractors, and utilities. The language in Senator Lujan’s bill, however, is not the proper language to effectuate this, prompting the Leon Guerrero-Tenorio fiscal team to proffer language that will appropriate $30 million to GMHA to pay its vendors.
“I look forward to members of the Guam Legislature also providing a solution to help GMH pay for its large accounts payable. By working together, I am confident that we will stabilize the operations of our hospital and improve the outlook of the hospital for the future,” said Acting Governor Tenorio.
This committee will consist of financial experts from the Executive Branch to monitor vendor transactions, ensure proper documentation for vendor accounts, and facilitate the timely payment of vendor invoices. This financial review entity will provide an independent appraisal of GMHA’s financial situation to the Governor and the necessary guidance to address the immediate concerns related to outstanding vendor payables while providing the data needed to assist GMHA in its future financial operations.
This financial review committee will also be responsible for assessing and making recommendations to the Governor regarding GMHA project proposals for the allocation of Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000) in authorized ARP funds for repairs to the GMHA hospital facility, including those procured on an emergency basis. It also directs the GMH Administrator and CEO to conduct emergency procurement as needed via the emergency procurement process that is currently authorized via Guam law in 5 GCA § 5215.
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