Evaluation report on CNMI’s Mini Games bid turned in

The evaluation committee of the Pacific Games Council has turned in the evaluation report on the CNMI’s bid to host the 2021 Pacific Mini Games to all Pacific Games Association presidents and members of the council’s executive board.

The report was forwarded to all the stakeholders on May 8, two days after council executive director Andrew Minogue and council president Vidhya Lakhan, who made up the committee, had a two-day site visit on Saipan.

“Following its inspection visit, the council is confident that the CNMI is more than capable of hosting the 2012 Pacific Mini Games and that it fully understands and accepts their responsibilities and obligations in hosting the Games,” Lakhan wrote in the report.

The Oleai track oval is the proposed venue of the athletics competition in the 2012 Pacific Mini Games, which the CNMI is hoping to host. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The executive director added that the CNMI’s bid is compliant with the council’s charter, particularly the requirement under Regulation 20 (entry and eligibility conditions). Lakhan added that the CNMI government has agreed to sign a host city contract on July 5 so that an executed agreement with the council will be created immediately. He and Minogue met with Lt. Gov. Jude U. Hofschneider during the site visit and the latter assured the visiting officials that the Commonwealth’s bid has the full backing of the government.

As for the facilities, the council official noted that only minor works and refurbishments are required.

“Venue and infrastructure development present a minimal risk in the CNMI. The vast majority of the venues are already built and fit for purpose following the hosting of the 2006 Micronesian Games,” Lakhan said.

To prove that the current venues are suitable for the competitions in the Mini Games, the CNMI is planning a bid to host the 2018 Micronesian Games and have the regional tournament as a test event.

The CNMI, through the Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association, also addressed issues on visa requirements in the host island. Delegates need to be U.S. passport holders or have U.S. visa to enter Saipan and in previous NMASA meetings, president Michael White said they are planning to talk to the USCIS to seek a visa waiver agreement only for the duration of the Mini Games.

“In the council’s letter to the CNMI PGA (NMASA) prior to the visit, we also raised the affiliation status of certain national federations and the entry visa requirements for the Games. These were both satisfactorily addressed by the PGA,” the council president said.

White said NMASA is pleased the CNMI made the grade during the site inspection.

“NMASA is very pleased that PGC president Lakhan and executive director Minogue have confirmed our readiness to host the Games. We look forward to the formal presentation of our bid to the Pacific Games Council in July, and to the awarding of the Games to NMASA and the Northern Mariana Islands,” White said in a separate email to Saipan Tribune.

The awarding of the 2021 Mini Games will be held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea and between now and the July 4-5 general assembly, PGAs can forward inquiries to the CNMI regarding the Mini Games bid and the Commonwealth can also provide progress report about its preparation for the hosting chores.

“The council wishes to sincerely thank the CNMI PGA and the CNMI government for showing such tremendous support for the 2021 Pacific Mini Games and we look forward to welcoming their bid delegation to Port Moresby in July,” Lakhan said.