Peter: Hoping for the best

Pacific Mini Games Organizing Committee chair Marco Peter, left, during a ceremony where the Joeten Daidai Foundation and The Athlete’s Foot Saipan signed up as a Platinum Sponsor for the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022 at the Joeten Motors Co. Ford-Honda showroom last Thursday in Oleai. (MARK RABAGO)

Pacific Mini Games Organizing Committee chair Marco Peter remains optimistic that repairs of sports facilities that will be used for the quadrennial event will be completed in time for the start of the Mini Games set from June 17 to 25 this year.
He said the biggest concern are repairs to the Oleai track and field and the Francisco “Tan Ko” M. Palacios Baseball Field, both at the Oleai Sports Complex.

While the projects have already been awarded to USA Fanter Corp. (baseball field) and Tang’s Corp. (track and field), Peter said the biggest culprit has been shipping delays of materials.

“They’ve already awarded the projects for the track and field and also the baseball field. Due to the pandemic even the raw materials have been delayed because they come from different countries.”

For the meantime, the MGOC chair said Tang’s Corp. is just about ready to start repairs at the track and field.

“In a couple of weeks they’ll be ripping off the tracks and they will be replacing it so it’s going to be off-limits. So we’re encouraging the community that once construction starts to stay away from the track and field. The parts are on the way so right when it’s about to come here they’ll start ripping out the track.”

Asked about the new timelines for the track and field and the baseball field, Peter said unfortunately because of shipping delays the latter is not expected to be completed until May and the former won’t be available until April.

That’s bad news for both the CNMI national baseball team and the CNMI national athletics pool. The baseball team, for one, has resorted to practicing at the smaller Miguel “Tan Ge” Softball Field.

“Currently, I’m scrambling on my side to get the national baseball team out hitting. We need a facility for them to scrimmage. Right now they’re down to utilizing the Major League baseball field. We’re also looking at setting up a batting cage in one of the warehouses. Best case is to set up at one of the warehouses so they can hit every day. The pitching machines are here and the batting cages are not a problem because we only need to build the nets with the cover.”

Peter also gave updates for the other Mini Games sports. He said for beach volleyball, they’re currently working with the Department of Public Lands, Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality, and the Division of Fish and Wildlife to clear the grounds leading into the four beach volleyball courts at the Crowne Plaza.

“We’re also bringing sand from Sugar Dock up to the former Fiesta Resort. Maybe 5 tons to extend the beach at the Crowne Plaza. Most of the equipment for beach volleyball have also been arriving.”
Peter said weightlifting is currently training at their Chalan Kiya warehouse and that they’re in talk with the Public School System to see if the CNMI Weightlifting National Team can utilize the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

“But MHS also needs a new air-conditioning system and that work is under the Community Block Development Grant.”

For badminton, the MGOC is waiting on the new flooring and the new air-conditioning system as well at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

MGOC is also waiting for the approval from the American Memorial Park management for them to use the venue for tennis. The Pacific Islands Club Saipan in San Antonio is the other venue for tennis.

For va’a, Peter said the surveyors have gone out and measured the buoy areas of f the 13 Fishermen Memorial. He added that the rest of V6 canoes are coming in a few weeks and all of the V1s are already here.

As for triathlon, the multi-sport event will be held on Rota and the Rota Mayor’s Office is making preparations in coordination with local agencies, the MGOC, and Triathlon Association of the CNMI.

He said golf seems to be the least problematic as the venue is already there. “They probably just need to fill in some sand here and there.” Golf will be hosted by the Coral Ocean Resort in Agingan.

“I’m hoping that all the projects and facilities would be handled and taken cared off by May. The money is there but we need the projects to move. It’s just that the materials that are delayed. Everything else, we just want to make sure that our athletes are prepared and hoping for the best,” said Peter.