Fireworks over FestPAC with new call out for delegates

Anger erupted Tuesday as the Guam Council on the Arts and Humanities Agency board of directors voted to “wipe the slate clean” and re-pick all 100 delegates to represent Guam at the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture in Hawaii this June.

This comes as concerned community members and survivors have been calling on CAHA the past month through a letter campaign to remove spiritual healer and Port police officer Frank “Ko” James San Nicolas from the delegation.

“I’m very curious, why is it taking so long?” asked one concerned community member during the public comment period. “How many more women do you need to have this happen to? How many more accusations? Why is it they only need to be convicted ? Why can’t you listen to your community without the judicial system?”

Despite being twice acquitted of criminal sexual conduct charges in 2022, his opposers call him a “sexual predator” who shouldn’t represent Guam.

There was a heated and tense moment during the public meeting as survivors called San Nicolas a rapist while he called his accusers a liar.

The board quickly moved to adjourn the meeting as tempers flared. Some were not satisfied with the move to revet all applicants instead of removing one delegate.

But board member and Chalan Pago-Ordot Mayor Jessy Gogue said the decision to scrub the 2020 list gives new applicants a fair shot at making the 2024 delegation after the festival was delayed for four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Regardless of who applies, everyone will be vetted in the same manner as the FestPAC committee and their genre chairs will be directed to follow the guidelines for screening and vetting this 2024 list,” Gogue explained.

CAHA Acting Executive Director Angie Taitague told KUAM News this means San Nicolas, like any others, can still submit an application, though there will be stricter vetting guidelines. 

The new guidelines and applications will be available by March 15 at the CAHA office in Hagatna and on their website. Applications are due in two weeks by March 29.

From there, the FestPAC committee will have until April 12 to compile a new list of delegates.

Then the board will reconvene and vote to approve or disapprove the new delegates at their next meeting.

“This matter has to be resolved one way or another. We all need to come together because I have a deep in my heart feeling that we may not be invited– this is all invitation to all FestPAC. They may not want to invite Guam anymore,” Taitague said.

Whatever the outcome, those speaking up are keeping CAHA to their word to pick delegates the island can be proud of to celebrate the CHamoru culture.