Leaving lasting legacies

 By PETER STEWART

What an event it is. Anyone who thinks the 2015 Pacific Games is just a sporting event is greatly underestimating the scale, scope and potential of this project. 

Events of this nature are awarded to host nations and cities well in advance for good reason. 

It takes years of careful planning to ensure that the benefits of hosting a major event are realised. 

Not only will the Pacific Games be the largest international sporting event ever held in Papua New Guinea, it will be the largest cultural event, one of the largest national employers, and will be a catalyst for incredible infrastructure development. 

But perhaps most importantly, it provides an opportunity to shape the way the rest of the world views Papua New Guinea. 

Wherever I travel throughout the Pacific talking to the leaders of our participating nations, I am always asked will it be safe for their teams to come. 

Those of us who live in this wonderful country know that the perception of most of the rest of the world is far from the truth. 

The Games will ensure that over 4000 visitors return home with stories of how friendly and welcoming Papua New Guinea is to both tourists and businesses. 

These advocates will tell 10 or more people, who will in turn tell 10 or more people and on it goes. 

Word of mouth tributes from first-hand experience is far more effective than millions of kina spent on advertising campaigns. 

In addition, over 300 international media will descend on Port Moresby for the Games. 

In among their sports reporting, they will write stories on the experiences they are having, the people they meet and the amazing array of things that PNG can offer. 

Public discussion often centres on the money being spent on the Games and our Government has committed 1.2 billion kina towards the Games. 

However the vast majority of this, about 1 billion of this figure, goes towards infrastructure development in the form of world class venues that will be available for use by the people of PNG for decades to come. 

These facilities will not only provide excellent training and competition venues that will allow Papua New Guinean athletes to prepare to compete on the global stage in the future, but they will allow PNG to attract other major sporting, cultural and business events. 

These major events further enhance the reputation of the nation and continue the promotion strategy, while attracting important overseas investment in the form of hotel beds and restaurants filled, not to mention work for local companies to support these events. 

In excess of 1500 hours of broadcast material will be produced by the Games Organising Committee for distribution throughout the world across television, satellite, cable, internet and digital phone networks. 

This is the largest broadcast in the history of the Pacific Games and will ensure positive images of Papua New Guinea are projected. 

While the pictures and stories of the Games are important in changing the perceptions of the broader community, the fact that such a large scale production can be delivered tells businesses that PNG has the technological capability and communication infrastructure to support global corporations. 

In a relatively new nation of many diverse languages and cultures, the 2015 Pacific Games provides a focal point for all Papua New Guineans to unite and be proud of our nation. 

The Games Relay, travelling through each of our 22 provinces in the 100 days leading up to the Games epitomises this unity and links everyone to the opening ceremony of the Games. 

As a cornerstone of the 40th anniversary of independence, the Games helps to showcase to the world how far we have come since 1975 and how we, as a nation, are ready to emerge as a power in the Pacific. 

To conduct the two weeks of the actual Games, the organising committee will have a workforce of over 6000 employees, contractors, security personnel and volunteers engaged in Games duties. 

A workforce that will be a resource of skilled nationals available to deliver future events in the like of APEC. 

The Games Organising Committee has a budget of K160 million, of which Government contributes around K90 million. The remaining funds are sourced from corporate sponsors, ticket sales and merchandising. 

Without the support of Bank South Pacific and other PNG companies these Games could not be delivered. 

These corporations not only supply valuable funds, but they have expertise in running businesses in PNG, which is vital experience that the Organising Committee make use of. 

Some staggering statistics make up the Games and give an indication of how large this project is. 

There will be 20,000 meals prepared daily in the venues. 

This requires large quantities of food to be sourced, prepared and distributed across all Games venues. 

A vehicle fleet of over 300 will transport Games athletes, team officials and VIPs. 

These vehicles need to be driven, cleaned, fuelled and serviced throughout the Games period. 

In excess of 60 tonnes of waste will be collected from the Games venues daily. 

The Games village will be one of the largest hotels in the world for two weeks with in excess of 3500 beds. 

The combined requirements of the opening and closing ceremonies, welcome ceremonies at the airport and Games Village and the performances at the National Capital District and other provincial live sites, will see many thousands of dancers, singsing groups and other performers involved to showcase the diverse cultural makeup of Papua New Guinea to the rest of the world. 

Virtually every Government Department is required to assist in the delivery of the Games and without the combined efforts of Government working with business, these Games cannot succeed. 

No matter how you look at this event, the potential to leave lasting legacies exist. 

Be they in the capacity building of our workforce, the development of our businesses, unifying our people or changing the perceptions of PNG in the global environment. 

So yes, enjoy the sport, marvel at the exploits of the athletes and feel pride in the performances of our home grown competitors. 

But don’t be under the misconception that this is just a sporting event. 

If we, as a nation, seize the opportunity, it will be much more than that.

• Peter Stewart is the 2015 Pacific Games organising committee’s chief executive officer. Stewart has a wealth of experience in the organising and running large international multi sport events. He was part of administrative team for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.