Games Act amended

By ISAAC NICHOLAS
THE government, in a move to avoid major international embarrassment, has passed amendments to the 2015 Pacific Games Authority Act for pre­parations for the games get underway immediately.
The government through the national executive council has also named Public Service Minister Bart Philemon as the minister responsible for the 2015 Pacific Games.
Philemon, in introducing the amendments, said his role as minister responsible for 2015 Pacific Games came about due to the urgent need to start work after no progress was made since PNG won the bid and signed the host agreement more than two years ago.
He said the amendments were among other things in line with the gazettal of his appointment to avoid confusion of roles between himself and the Sports Minister Sali Subam.
The main features of the amendments include :
l    Aligning the 2015 Pacific Games Authority Act of 2011 to the host contract and restore the three positions of the PGA officials;
l    Fine-tuning the provisions for the existing three government appointees so there is room for a nominee from the business community to be included;
l    Adding a new clause that allows for the co-opting of three additional board members by mutual consent; and,
l Expanding the role and function of the Venue Infrastructure and Equipment Committee (VIEC) and its reporting relationship to the Pacific Games Authority Board.
Philemon said these amendments would provide a 10-member board to take charge of overseeing and driving preparations for the 2015 Pacific Games.
“The nation faces a real threat of a major international embarrassment if these amendments are not passed,” Philemon admitted.
He said Vidya Lakhan, president of the Pacific Games Council based in Suva, Fiji, visited PNG two weeks ago and had officially and publicly announced that on his next visit in April that if there was no progress made, PNG stood to lose the 2015 Games hosting rights.
Philemon told Parliament that the Pacific Games presented a major one-off public relations opportunity for the country but the calibre of people put forward by the board to cabinet on Jan 25 was found wanting, compared to the 1991 South Pacific Games Foundation members.
He said since his appointment on Feb 3 to oversee the Games, he had called for an immediate explanation on the two-year delay.
“I also demanded from the Pacific Games Association for the government, as underwriters and major financiers of the 2015 Pacific Games, to be given the control of the 2015 Pacific Games Authority.
“I wanted more numbers, more prominent and experienced board members and a greater say on the chairmanship,” the Lae MP said.