Clock ticking, pressure building

 SPORTS will dominate the headlines in 2015 mostly because Port Moresby will host the K1.2 billion XV Pacific Games in July.

Rugby league, as the number one sport in the country, will still have a strong following throughout the year.

The Digicel Cup, the Hunters and the Kumuls will grab the headlines for short periods as will the annual State of Origin series but the Games is easily the focus for the year.

Parts of the city are undergoing construction of venues and playing areas and the rush is now well and truly on for organisers to deliver what has been an event five years in the making but only two years in the doing. 

At this point it seems like a colossal task for anyone to undertake given the scope of work and the time frame in which to get the major venues, including the Sir John Guise Stadium and Indoor Complex, the Taurama Aquatic Centre and the Bisini Sports Grounds, ready in a matter of a couple of months.

These major venues are at best three-quarters complete. The surfaces of some fields at Bisini are taking on a green hue and grass cover is evident two months out, while the laying of the turf wickets is expected to start this week.

But playing venues are not the only consideration here. The Games Village is the other major project associated with the event that must be completed in time because it will accommodate an estimated 3000 athletes and officials over the course of the two-week event.

Contractors are scheduled to hand over the venues to the Games Organising Committee on May 31. 

That means the companies working on the venues have 33 days to have their projects completed to a degree that will allow testing, training and other activities carried out on them a little over a month before the start of the Games. 

It is a safe bet that despite the scheduling of the handover in four-and-a-half weeks work will still continue on the venues up to the Games opening and most likely during and beyond it. Tickets are selling already and according to the organisers several sports and venues have all but sold out.

The 1000 capacity swimming venue has sold all its packages and the only tickets that remain are day passes. The opening ceremony, at the Sir John Guise Stadium, which organisers have billed as one that will eclipse the 1991 effort in creativity, cultural flair and entertainment value still has several thousand seating yet to be snapped up. 

But this is not an indicator that all is moving on schedule. The vast majority of Papua New Guineans trying to catch a glimpse of the events will do so from their lounges in front of a screen or over the airwaves. 

Deputy Opposition leader Sam Basil has taken the opportunity to point out areas that need to be looked at to make the Games a more inclusive event all.

He has stopped short of saying that the national capital will not be ready for the Games but has nevertheless expressed his and the opposition’s concerns in Parliament.

The Bulolo MP has questioned the ticket pricing and the broadcasting of the Games as the areas that need to be carefully looked into. Basil has said the ticket pricing is still out of the reach of ordinary citizens, many of whom will not be able to afford to go and see the sports. 

This has been disputed vehemently by Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko, who said the pricing of the tickets – the cheapest which will be from K10 – had been done with the majority in mind.

Although his remarks have been dismissed by the Government as political sniping there is some merit to it.

The question that needs to be asked is will the Games take place according to schedule?

The opening ceremony is on July 4 and there is no doubt that despite the positive spin and the contingencies in place as well as the confidence shown by organisers that the event will be delivered as promised, one cannot help but worry that the sand in the hour glass is all but run out with a mountain of work yet to do.

The next two months will be testing times indeed for all involved.