Committee starts recruiting volunteers for Games

 Pacific Games Organising Committee chairperson Emma Waiwai is calling on those volunteering to relish the moment of the Games during the launching of the Bank South Pacific Volunteers programme yesterday.

“This is your opportunity to become a volunteer and be part of a historical event and live the dream of a lifetime,” Waiwai said. 

“This is our opportunity to showcase our country to our friends in the Pacific and the world as it will be widely televised.”

A total of 3000 volunteers will be signed up while another reserve of up to 200 will be registered and used when necessary. 

The volunteers will be known as the BSP Wantok team and registration is now open for two weeks. 

Volunteers are required to pick up a form from the BSP outlets at Vision City (ground floor) and Waterfront, Applus Velsoi JDA at Harbour City and the Games office at the Telikom Rumana building, Waigani. 

Applications will go in for screening and depending upon skill and experience, applicants will be assigned certain jobs and will go in for training prior to the Games. 

Their duties will range from hospitality, transport, customer and health services, ceremonies, logistics, spectator services and media assistance, while some positions will require specialist skills such as French translators and medical volunteers.

Volunteers will be assigned to one of 150 team leaders from the sponsors of the Games.

The event was officially launched by Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko, who said citizens should be proud to be a part of the Games as a volunteer.

“We will be showcasing the biggest event in the Pacific and we need to be sure that basically everything is covered,” Tkatchenko said. “We want our visitors to go back with a very good feeling and know that we are capable of hosting major events just like any other country in the world.”

Games Organising Committee business operations manager Luke Ambu said apart from the volunteers, there would be 148 community groups who would be engaged to provide services such as cleaning and catering.