Facilities main concern for ’21 Mini Games

Renovation of existing sports venues and construction of other facilities are still the main concern of the Northern Marianas Sports Association as Saipan gears up to host the 2021 Pacific Mini Games.

The Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium, which could host weightlifting and wrestling events in the 2021 Pacific Mini Games, needs major repairs after being damaged by several typhoons. (Jon Perez)

Repairs and other improvements on Saipan’s existing sports facilities destroyed by several typhoons that hit the island the last three months, particularly Typhoon Soudelor, have yet to start but NMSA president Mike White is optimistic that everything will be finished before 2021.

White said that aside from renovation, additional facilities like toilets and showers must also be built to accommodate the more than estimated 2,000 athletes, coaches, and officials that will arrive for the scaled-down version of the Pacific Games.

“The facilities remain the big issue. Aside from repairing the damage, we need to build additional toilets and shower facilities,” said White in a brief talk with the Saipan Tribune after NMSA’s monthly meeting last week at the conference room of the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

An additional grandstand at the track and field stadium must also be built for the centerpiece athletics event while extra bleachers are also needed for baseball, where the CNMI is expected to vie for a medal.

NMSA executive director Tony Rogolifoi, during the meeting, said that they are now waiting for the Federal Emergency Management Administration’s monetary grant that will be go through the Governor’s Office.

FEMA Media Relations manager Kurt H. Pickering, in an email to the Saipan Tribune, said NMSA is not eligible to receive public assistance funding from them since they are a private sports group.

But with the Oleai Sports Complex still owned by the government, money for the repairs of the sports facilities was made possible and will be given to the Governor’s Office, which will then release the funds.

White said the Pacific Mini Games oversight committee, formed last month, has yet to meet with government officials led by Gov. S. Eloy Inos.

“We still haven’t heard from the governor. We’re still waiting for any word from the Governor’s Office. The oversight committee is set to meet with them so we could finally form the organizing committee,” he added.

Lt. Gov. Ralph Torres has been the acting governor since Inos left last month for a check up and surgery in the mainland.

The oversight committee, which needs to elect a chairman, will initially oversee Saipan’s preparations for the Mini Games until an organizing committee, including a chairman, gets hired or named.

Three NMSA board members, four governor’s appointees, and one from the Pacific Games Council are the members of the oversight committee.

White, NMSA vice president Kurt Barnes, and secretary Rose Igitol represent the CNMI sports sector, while Inos’ four appointees include businessman Jerry Tan, Department of Public Works Secretary James Ada, Merced Tomokane, and Virginia Villagomez. PGC president Vidhta Lakan represents the council.

Athletics, badminton, golf, tennis, va’a, volleyball (indoor and beach), baseball, sailing, swimming, triathlon, weightlifting, and wrestling are the 12 sports to be played in the 2021 Mini Games.

American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Guam, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Samoa, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga, Tuvalu, Tokelau, and Wallis and Futuna are the other competing countries aside from host CNMI.