Pacific Games preparations in full swing

Tura, left, the official mascot for the 2015 Pacific Games, and another character, greet visitors of the main headquarters of host Papua New Guinea.
(PNG 2015 Pacific Games Photo)

Games Organizing Committee chief executive officer Peter Stewart, in an email sent to member nations, said they are confident that everything will go on as planned since they are leaving no stone unturned to make sure of the smooth flow of the Pacific Games in Port Moresby.

“We are very confident that the Games will be delivered as planned because of the number of critical and very important things we have achieved and committed for,” said Stewart.

The 15th edition of the Pacific Games is scheduled from July 4 to 18 with 26 sports spread out in different venues in Port Moresby. The opening and closing ceremonies will be held at the Sir John Guise Precinct outdoor stadium.

The GOC has already awarded 50 contracts to various local- based companies for various goods and services that would be provided in the 2015 Pacific Games.

Creative and events company Makoda will produce the opening and closing ceremonies Eurest (PNG) Catering & Services Ltd. will supply the daily meals, while Lae Ever Clean will provide the cleaning services.

Stewart said the three areas are critical parts of their preparations that’s why the GOC tapped the most competent and experienced goods and services providers in PNG.

Pindu Transport is assigned to transport athletes and officials from their quarters to the game venues and back, Agility will be the Games’ logistics provider, while the GOC has awarded broadcast rights to eight media partners, three of which are from Papua New Guinea.

Athletics, basketball, beach soccer, beach volleyball, bodybuilding, boxing, cricket, football, hockey, karate, lawn bowls, lawn tennis, powerflifting, rugby 7s, rugby league, shooting squash, table tennis, taekwondo, touch rugby, triathlon, va’a, volleyball, weightlifting, and the medal rich swimming are the sports offered in the 15th edition of the quadrennial sporting event.

American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna, and the CNMI are the participating nations in this year’s Games.

The Commonwealth will be competing only in 5 events in PNG: athletics, beach volleyball, bodybuilding, lawn tennis, and triathlon. (Jon Perez)