Lack of teams may cancel ’08 MBT in Pohnpei

The 2008 Micronesian Basketball Tournament is in danger of being canceled after only two countries have confirmed joining the annual games, which will be held in Kolonia, Pohnpei.

Jim Tobin, who co-chairs the 2008 MBT local organizing committee with Castro Joab, said only Guam and host Pohnpei have confirmed sending men’s and women’s teams after submitting their requirements before the March 14 preliminary registration.

The CNMI, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, and the other three states of the Federated States of Micronesia—Chuuk, Kosrae, and Yap—have not yet pre-registered or are still undecided if they are going to compete or not.

Kosrae is hoping to send a men’s team, while Palau requested the tournament be moved to next year to give them more time to prepare. Organizers have yet to hear from the CNMI Chuuk, Yap, and the Marshall Islands.

Kiribati is asking for help on how to lessen their cost of going to Pohnpei. Organizers learned that Kiribati teams needed to fly to Fiji, thru Australia, and to Guam to reach Pohnpei.

The Kiribati delegation needed to have U.S. transit visas to get through Guam. The long trip to Pohnpei would cost $2,800 in airfare for members. Nauru, which is near Kiribati, would also spend the same amount and that would make it hard for the two countries to join in this year’s tournament.

Tobin and Joab also extended the preliminary registration deadline until March 28, Friday, to give the other island nations time to decide whether they would join or not.

“I see no reason to organize and hold the tournament if we cannot get at least six men’s and four women’s teams,” said Tobin in an email.

He advised the other member federations in Micronesia to email him as soon as possible if they have no plans of joining. “We do understand everyone’s financial problems and the high cost of Travel.”

Basketball Association of the Northern Mariana Islands president Elias Rangamar would like to send both the men’s and women’s teams to the tournament if it would only cost them the airfare. “The last MBT in Guam, teams had to pay for airfare only. I think the time is too short to fundraise if teams are required to shoulder all costs.”

BANMI secretary general Michael A. White, who is in constant contact with the Pohnpei Organizing Committee, said organizers want the visiting teams to shoulder everything, which means aside from airfare the visiting teams would also pay for their own food, lodging, and transportation.

“[The organizing committee] feels that teams should be able to get food and shelter from [groups or associations] from their own islands who are leaving in Pohnpei. For example, this works well for Chuuk but not so well for us,” said White, who added the cost of airfare to Pohnpei is $644 per person and BANMI could afford to subsidize the trip.