Tebuteb supports Micro Games hosting

KOROR, Palau—The race to host the 2006 Micronesian Games in the CNMI received another supporter as Rep. Ray Tebuteb, who this past week was in Palau egging on the CNMI delegation, expressed his support for the islands holding the quadrennial event.

“It’s not only for the hosting, but also for the long term effect doing this will do because its a very good ambassadorial event,” he said, also citing that improvement of sports facilities and others that will be used for the Games will not only benefit participating athletes in the competition, but also the local sports scene after the Micro Games. “There’s a multiple effect in investment, but the biggest picture in my opinion will be the health and the of imparting good things to everyone involved and also those who are not directly involved because of their physical health. Basically it’s a health promotion thing, so facility is only a part of that teaching our next generation and ourselves the level of why sports is very good for everybody.”

Tebuteb, however, stressed that because the CNMI will be given less than a year to prepare for the quadrennial event, much work still needs to be done and that organizers must be very realistic when making decisions down the line.

“The government is only halfway…we can never rely 100 percent on our government,” he said. “It has to be a collective CNMI-wide effort. [But] to host it, we need to be realistic and we need to look at all the angles and the final decision of the Micronesian Games committee.”

According to sources, the Micronesian Games Council has decided not to wait for Yap to confirm if it will host the Games or not and will most likely give the hosting to the CNMI.

With that, a major factor for the hosting will be funding, which Tebuteb said he is optimistic of receiving for the Games.

“Optimistically, we can find the resources, but we have to be committed for reprogramming and stuff like that…it has to come from individual representatives. I’m committed and I would really like to commit that,” he said. “It’s a lot of combinations of good things to focus on—health and sportsmanship—and if individual representatives can commit themselves, and I think they will commit, the reality would be then what can we do to assist. We have to look at helping in the area of cost and we can.”

Yap won the bid to host the Games, however, various officials from the state have expressed mixed opinions on the hosting, with several supporting it and others withdrawing their support due to damage inflicted on the state’s facilities from a recent typhoon.

Also, sources have indicated that Gov. Juan N. Babauta has sent a letter to the Micronesian Games Council confirming the CNMI’s willingness to host the Games.

There was no confirmation from chef de mission Mike White yesterday as he was busy taking part in various meetings.Rep.