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Mini Games site visit set
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Posted on Jun 06 2011
Top officials of the Pacific Games Council will be on Saipan later this month to visit the proposed venues under the CNMI’s 2017 Mini Games hosting bid.
Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association president Michael White said PGC president Vidhya Lakhan of Fiji and executive director Andrew Minogue will have a site visit on June 28 and may also meet with local officials.
“The Pacific Games Charter requires that a site visit be undertaken to all candidates to host a Pacific Games or Pacific Mini Games, so the PGC will be visiting Vanuatu and Nauru, along with the CNMI. As a result of these visits, the president and executive director will make a report to the full Pacific Games Council in Noumea as to the state of the candidate’s facilities and their readiness to host the Games. This report will be an important consideration for members of the Council when they make their decision as to where the Games will be held,” White said.
“NMASA and the CNMI 2017 Pacific Mini Games Bid Committee are confident that our facilities are unmatched among the candidates for the 2017 Games, and that, with the full and united support of Governor Fitial and the other key people from the public and private sectors, we can show our visitors that we are ready, willing, and able to host a great Pacific Mini Games in 2017,” the NMASA head added.
The winning bid will be decided on Sept. 4 during the PGC General Assembly in New Caledonia.
Between Nauru and Vanuatu, the CNMI is considering the latter as its toughest opponent in the hosting rights race. The Norfolk Islands last month withdrew its bid, making the contest a three-country fight.
Among the three nations, the CNMI has the most available facilities. The Commonwealth’s venues are in place and will need only repairs, while both Nauru and Vanuatu are proposing to build new facilities, which will take years and more money to complete.
The Commonwealth also has the cheapest per diem at $30. Both Nauru and Vanuatu offer $50 per diem.
