Sen. James Moylan's proposal to allow for a public-private partnership to maintain the island's parks got strong support from the Korean Guam Travel Association but ran into some opposition from the Guam Visitors Bureau and Department of Parks and Recreation during a public hearing Wednesday at the Legislature.

Moylan's Bill 58-35 would authorize the Department of Parks and Recreation to issue an invitation for bids from any qualified company "for the management and maintenance of identified public parks," including the responsibility to keep public restrooms clean.

In support of the measure, John Ko, president of the Korea Guam Travel Association, underscored the need for something to be done.

Among the parks that he said are in "critical" need of repair are the Fort Soledad park in Umatac, the Paseo de Susana in Hagåtña and the Fish-Eye Marine Park in Piti.

When you see tour buses down south at a gas station, at Pizza Hut or the side of the road "it's not mechanical trouble; they're using 'bathroom' in the jungle," he said.

He told the senators that many travel agencies "stopped south-side tours or circle-island tours because there are no bathrooms."

"As a private-sector leader of the tourism industry, all I'm asking is let us use the bathroom."

Ko also raised safety as a concern. Recently, more tourists are renting cars and driving themselves around the island.

"How many Korean, Japanese get armed robbed (or were victims of) car theft?" he asked.

Ko said he asked the Guam Police Department for the number of crimes against tourists and he was told "the only organization that can ask us to get those numbers (is) the Legislature because they have to do (it) manually – they don't have the computer systems."

Bathrooms and litter

In support of his legislation, Moylan delivered a PowerPoint presentation to Sen. Sabina Perez's environment committee. He displayed pictures of "unusable bathrooms" and "trash assembled on the grounds."

Moylan said the measure would allow private companies to "manage our public parks, not to own our public parks."

The aim is to keep the bathrooms clean, keep the lights on, provide security and ensure the parks are litter-free.

He cited Two Lovers Point as a good example of the type of public-private partnership he's proposing.

GVB: Legislation 'premature'

Guam Visitor Bureau President Pilar Laguaña thanked Moylan for introducing the bill, calling it "a great start toward addressing the ongoing crisis the government of Guam is having in managing its public parks."

Laguaña said the GVB board "is supportive of Sen. Moylan's efforts to address this issue quickly" but, she went on to say, "there are some real issues with its structure, implementation and enforcement."

She said the GVB board "feels creating this legislation is a bit premature" and "there is much to think about before having DPR commit to a public-private collaboration."

Instead, Laguaña said the board recommends "setting this legislation aside for now in favor of a formal roundtable discussion ... to revisit all options available before any measures are passed and signed into law."

DPR concerned

Parks and Rec Director Richard Ybanez also expressed "some concerns regarding Bill 58-35 as written."

The first concern Ybanez raised is that the measure would "effectively privatize the parks" that are included in any management agreement.

"We believe that it relinquishes too much control to a private partner without commensurate measurable benefit" to GovGuam and the public, he said.