Artists hopes merger addresses needs for arts

by Ken Quintanilla

Guam - With the recent announcement about the Department of Chamorro Affairs merged with the Hagatna Restoration and Redevelopment Authority, Guam Council on the Arts and Humanities Agency, the Guam Public Library System and PBS Guam following Governor Eddie Calvo's reorganization plan. Local artist and proprietor Filamore Palomo Alcon says he understands addressing GovGuam's financial constraints but hopes president Joseph Cameron can address each of the different concerns put forth by the agencies.

"The only positive about this is it's going to save the government money, because then you don't need a director for CAHA, a director for the Library, you don't need any directors," Alcon he told KUAM News. "But what you do need is management - you need sound management in each of these agencies."

Cameron told KUAM News that since January, he has been handling CAHA and much progress has taken place in partnership with Washington, DC, where he has moved more money into the art arena. He also served as the executive director for Hagatna Restoration for three years. He says the individual agencies will have the same mission but with a more integrated ability to communicate with each other and address common goals.

He says if the community has other concerns they should contact DCA.