CNMI commits to hosting Micro Games

Representatives from several of the Commonwealth’s sporting associations were on hand yesterday afternoon as Gov. Juan N. Babauta signed a letter that officially announced the CNMI’s intent to host the 2006 Micronesian Games.

Members of the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, Northern Marianas Islands Volleyball Association, the Saipan Major League Baseball Association, Saipan Swimming Club, and Historical Preservation Office applauded as Babauta inked the letter in the Executive Conference Room atop Capitol Hill.

DCCA Secretary Juan L. Babauta voiced his support of the plan to host the international event and said that Saipan will be prepared when the time comes to host the best of the region.

“We’re ready for the challenge. I have had very positive communications with the CDA and the board of directors will review our proposal (for funding) this Thursday. At the same time we’ve been assessing our facilities and we’re ready to host the 2006 Micronesian Games,” he said

In his letter to the Micronesian Games Organizing Council, Babauta said that the CNMI will form an organizing committee of its own in an effort to “bring together all the public and private sector resources necessary to conduct the Games so that they will be a truly memorable and enjoyable celebration of sport in the Micronesian region” as soon as the MCOC confirms that the games have been awarded to Saipan.

The letter also included the proposed dates and events for the games. If awarded, the games will be held on Saipan in advance of the rainy season between Friday, June 23, and Friday, July 7—while the Public School System will be on summer break.

The timing is key, as the plan also included the transformation of the Marianas High School into a dormitory to house the visiting athletes and officials. There will be additional shower and toilet facilities erected for the event, and Oleai Elementary School will be utilized in the event that MHS cannot house all of the participants.

The proposed events included athletics, basketball, baseball, beach volleyball, golf, softball, spear fishing, sailing, swimming, table tennis, tennis, triathlon, va’a/outrigger canoe, volleyball, wrestling, weightlifting, and the Micronesian All-Around, but the governor left the door open for additional activities to be included later.

The construction of lavatories wouldn’t be the only building project in the works.

Following the signing, everybody in the room applauded the secretary’s announcement that the first two priorities will be the construction of a 52-meter pool at the Oleai Sports Complex and addition of a grand stand for Francisco M. Palacios Stadium and the state of the art track and field facility.

“We’re going to continue doing this until—this is our pride here—until we get those facilities going. Those swimmers deserve better than what they have. They’re our ambassadors. Our children deserve the best,” said Babauta.

SSC coach Michael Stewart said that the announcement caught him off guard, and that he is looking forward to see how the project unfolds in the coming weeks and months.

“It’s kinda cool—unexpected because a lot of people have been talking ever since I’ve arrived on island and to hear it like that—that it’s going to be one of their main priorities— is definitely a step up from just chatter. I’ve always said that any centralized pool would benefit the program and the community tenfold. I’d love to have it here. Our group is ready to host a meet like that. It’ll be great for our kids and it’ll be great local exposure for us. With the transportation problems, the kids just can’t get out (to the Kan Pacific Pool in Marpi). If it is at the Oleai Sports Complex, just think of how many people can have access to it. The possibilities are endless,” he said.

Longtime athlete turned administrator Tony Rogolifoi expressed his excitement about the announcement and said that the Games would open the door for Saipan for far greater things as well.

“It’s good news for us. We’ve been trying to get the games here and hopefully we’ll have the funding—and then it’s a green light for us. We’ll be very busy. We have less than a year to prepare and there’s going to be a lot of restoration and renovation of the facilities. It’s about time that we bring the games here…because it’s only going to help us. I think that if we have the funding for the other facilities that it’ll attract the professional athletes from Asian countries and it’s going to help the economy in the long run,” he said

As far as the funding goes, secretary Babauta said that the money is out there, and that it’ll just be a matter of finding how and where to get it.

After the 1969 MicrOlympics, the regional competition failed to reappear in the region until Saipan hosted the 1990 Micronesian Games. The 2006 Games were originally scheduled to be hosted by Yap, but the local facilities have still not recovered from typhoons that devastated the island last year, leaving the door open for the CNMI.

By furnishing the letter of intent to the Micronesian Games Organizing Committee, the CNMI will move into the next phase of the planning stages by getting the exact figures it would take to get Saipan ready to host the nearly 2,000 athletes, coaches, and supporters.