By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

THE closure of the Chamolinian Village in Garapan was not due to lack of funding from the Carolinian Affairs Office, but to “other issues,” according to the Chamolinian Cultural Village Inc.
Last week, CAO executive director Angie Mangarero said her office closed the village because of lack of funding for the fees of local artists who taught tourists about local crafts.
“The decision made to close the village was because of other issues but not because of lack of funds from CAO. It was never directly funded under our CNMI government, let alone CAO,” Gordon Marciano, president of the Chamolinian Cultural Village Inc. said in a statement.
He said he wants to clarify the statement made by Mangarero as the village “was operated by the nonprofit CCVI with a board of directors comprised of various volunteers from private businesses including the executive directors of CAO and the Indigenous Affairs Office.”
The statement added, “The initial intent of the program was piloted with the previous administration and other private businesses. As such, the program continued for another three years with the help of our private businesses.”
The funds derived from visitors to the village allowed the village to continue its operations, according to the statement.
It added that Tuesdays and Thursdays were reserved for school children to experience the programs offered.
“Grant proposals to help finance the village were unsuccessful. As a result, there was no funding to pay her artisans and craftspeople and therefore the decision to close,” the statement said.
Mangarero, in an interview during the Carolinian symposium last week, said her office needed $20,000 to $30,000 to continue the operations of the village.
Besides the funding shortage, she said the “unsafe” condition of the huts was also a problem.
She said they were seeking volunteer help to rebuild these structures.
A local artist was paid approximately $30 a day for conducting demonstrations on local crafts to tourists who visited the village.