AN unintentional error occurred on my part. Ray Tenorio is CEO for RTI Consulting and not for Enviro-Safe. My deepest apology.
As I stated before, this is a commonwealth-wide issue and not a precinct matter. This is for the benefit of the CNMI indigenous people, especially for the Chamorro community, who do not have a place to showcase their culture and traditions here on Saipan. Should such a village exist at this time, I wouldn’t be traveling to public and private schools as well as to Northern Marianas College carrying all my personal cultural items, conducting lectures and hands-on demonstrations about my culture. A Chamorro Cultural Village is what we need now and not for the next five years. All we are asking is to designate the open area between Castaways Bar & Grill and Tronkon Da’ok Children Playground for the proposed site for the benefit of the Chamorro community. We do not have a place to showcase our culture and traditions! Give us that piece of land and we will prove to those who doubted our quest that we will build, reconstruct and replicate a traditional Chamorro village for the people of the CNMI and this will become a major tourist attraction for our entire quest.
Isn’t this what the Marianas Visitors Authority envisioned? I guess not. What about the Hotel Association of Northern Mariana Islands? If we all share a commonality of ideas regarding the need to attract more visitors, then give us artists and artisans a chance to present our dream, our visions, our ideas.
I have yet to see a supportive letter from the general public. This is one reason why I intentionally and temporarily subsided for the time being. I feel like a loner—padding my own canoe and there’s no one with me to bail the water, guide the canoe, set the sail and/or steer the paddle. If you wish to set sail for us to reach our ultimate purpose, blow the trumpet shell and invite those who believe. We will reach our final destination.
I will soon provide a comprehensive plan for the proposed Chamorro Village consisting of the following: name and location, infrastructure/facilities, various traditional dwellings, parking spaces, landscaping, target audience, cultural programs, productions and services, public outreach and education, governing authority, staffing and volunteerism, cultural training programs, generating revenue, fund-raising activities, MOU with vendors, consignment agreement plan for artists, artisans and other non-profit groups, funding source, time line and construction schedule, and administrative and daily operation plan and other pertinent matters.NOEL QUITUGUA
Chamorro Advocate
Koblerville, Saipan
