Governor behind hosting Micro Games

The CNMI came one step closer to hosting the 2006 Micronesian Games on Monday as local leaders of the athletic community met with Governor Juan N. Babauta to discuss the possibility of bringing the event to Saipan.

After meeting with NMASA president Michael White and Tony Rogolifoi of the Department of Sports and Recreation, Babauta gave the plan a ringing endorsement, saying that the Games can be brought to Saipan if everyone works together.

“I met with them already and I certainly support whole heartedly and hope that the legislature will do the same. I really think (we can do it). We just go back to how much we really need up front to prepare for it,” said Babauta.

Though White was unable to be reached for comment, Rogolifoi said that the leaders will now take their case to the legislature today.

The governor explained that the 2006 Games were originally scheduled to be held in Yap, but that the Micro Games committee consulted with officials from Yap while in Palau for the South Pacific Mini Games and concluded that they will not be able to host because they are still recovering from the last year’s typhoons.

The committee approached CNMI officials as a possible alternative for the Games, but the governor made it clear that taking on the responsibility would not be easy.

“Our challenge is to determine whether we have the facilities and the financial resources to prepare for the Micronesian Games,” he said.

Babauta said that while the opportunity to host the Games came as a result of an unfortunate chain of events, he sees it as a chance to promote physical fitness in the islands.

“It’s in line with keeping the CNMI healthy and strong with sports and keeping them out of the hospital where they don’t belong,” he said.

Part of the challenge will be figuring out how to house the 1500-1700 athletes and their supporters, and another is how to provide transportation to all of the venues. While most of the facilities are centrally located, the swimming events are located at the north end of the island, and housing is still not arranged.

While he didn’t relay any of the details from the meeting with in the Executive Office, Rogolifoi said that the group will furnish the facts of the planning phase after their PowerPoint presentation to people who hold the Commonwealth’s purse strings.

One thing for sure is that some of the local facilities need to receive some much needed TLC if the CNMI lands the Games. With the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium, Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field, Tan Ge softball field, and the state of the art track and field facility, the Oleai Sports Complex will surely be the hub of activity, but work will have to be done before any of the athletes have a chance to play.

The leaky roof of the Ada Gym already causes basketball games to be delayed or postponed, while the both of the ball fields still show the scars of back-to-back poundings from typhoon Tingting and super typhoon Chaba. Despite the realignment of a few of the lights, the fields look very similar to the days that followed the wicked weather.

The rubberized oval is by far the best feature offered as the most recent addition to the facility, but the field in the center of it is another story altogether. Despite receiving ample funding for the project, the grassy expanse has been all but off limits to the public since being deemed unsafe.

Aside from upgrades to playing surfaces and roofing of the central facility, the CNMI would also have to provide seating for the roughly 2,000 people expected to attend the ball games and even more for the opening ceremonies at the track.

“The last time we hosted the tournament was in 1990 some 15 years ago and it was packed here. It was really packed, and we can see if we’re to host we need here and at the track because that’s where the opening ceremonies will be held,” he said.