K20mil set for Games

The National Sports

By PARKER TAMBUA
THE Southern Highlands government has committed K20 million for Mendi to host the Papua New Guinea Games, according to an official.
According to Games organising committee chairman Sape Molumi, the funding was approved by the provincial executive council and would come from their budget for this year.
Molumi told The National that the money would be used to help improve existing and new facilities that would host 21 sports which will be played across three districts, Mendi, Nipa and Kagua. He said it would also take care of security, accommodation and other costs.
“The money from the provincial government will be released when their budget is approved by the national treasury in the coming months,” Molumi said.
“We are thankful to the provincial government for its support. It’s good that leaders are taking ownership of such events.”
Molumi said the funding was in addition to the K7 million that was given by the provincial government last year.
“From the K7 million from last year, we have used K1.8 million to offset Team Southern Highlands’ bills from the 2017 Kimbe Games.
“K2.4 million has been used to construct drainage for the stadium in Oiyarep and also the modern synthetic track from China which will be arriving in March.
“Another K2 million was used to relocate the council chamber, improvements and earthworks for the new stadium while the balance will be used to continue improving other facilities.”
He said the national government had also released K10 million last year for the Games through the National Planning and Monitoring Department to the PNG Sports Foundation.
Molumi said the money would be used to build a mini soccer stadium in Kagua, basketball courts in Nipa and buy stadium seats.
He said the committee had also written a proposal for a further K40 million funding from the national government this year.
Molumi said Prime Minister James Marape had acknowledge the proposal and had instructed the National Planning and Mintoring Department to make funds available.
Molumi said the total cost of the Games would add up to K75 million.

6 comments

  • A risk analysis needs to be done on the safety of teams and their officials, has PNG forgotten the civil uprising in Mendi town in which government offices and Air Niugini Aircraft was set ablaze by hooligans . No one has been arrested and charged and gone to jail. So what guarantee are the organizers going to give to the participating provinces that they are safe . You put sky scrappers and freeways and byways to impress the masses but have the people of southern highlands change their mindset. Change must come from a repentant and contrite heart. Not outward appearance.

  • The people of SHP are good and peace loving and taking a step forward to bring the games to SHP is very good. Total negligent will only fuel its development progress. The people only ask for transparency for service delivery.

    Mr. Molumi, Keep the upgrades and building of sport facilities in the province as this event is our opportunity. People of SHP will welcome all the teams for the games.

  • The PNG Games will become a big challenge and a great opportunity for the people if SHP to redeem the errors of the past by being good hosts of the Games. I have faith and trust in what the host organizing committee n govt of southern Highlands are doing. You can criticise after they have hosted the Games, if anything goes wrong. The same negative perception was held for City of Lae 2017 3rd PNG Games and to everyone’s surprise crime in that city came drastically declined during the duration of the Games.

  • State of road in Nipa is terribly bad, no electricity, games can not be hosted there.
    Kagua is a fighting zone.. risky
    Options;
    1. Mendi, Imbongu, Ialibu amd Pangia.

  • Generally, the people of Southern Highlands are peace loving citizens. Not only peace loving but the affection of Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior is deeply embedded in all the minds of the Southern Highlanders. However, we cannot deny trouble we have caused as well. Given the magnitude of trouble we have caused, it has undermined the real people who we are as Southern Highlanders.
    We can prove critics wrong if we successfully host this Game. This is the Challenge. For critics, the troubles of yesterday was caused for leadership tussle which was capitalised by opportunist. We have caused enough problems and through this games, we will prove, we are still peace loving.

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