Minister queried on overall progress

 By SHEILA MALKEN

THE Government has made a lot of commitment into the 2015 Pacific Games to be hosted in Port Moresby, says Member for Telefomin Solan Misirim.

Misirim told the Parliament last week that a lot of money has been put into building and upgrading of the sports facilities but questioned Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko if sports men and women are being been adequately prepared and trained for the event.

He also asked if the rest of the country would be involved in the games, which is scheduled from July 4-18, 2015.

“I understand that about 80% of our people live in rural districts, do you have a plan in place for this people to be involved in the games?,” Misirim asked.

“Your department must have officers or team sent to rural areas to recruit some good players so that they can undergo training to be prepared for this major event next year,” Misirim said.

“If you go to remote districts like my districts, there are many good players out there or probably to other areas.”

He stressed that the country has produced some world-class athletes like Dika Toua and Ryan Pini among others and asked Tkatchenko if his department had found similar champions to replace them.

“These big name players will not live longer but will be gone in the future.”

Tkatchenko said in the last three or four years his department has had the Grassroots programme through the Papua New Guinea Sports Foundation as well as the PNG Olympic Committee, who have been working hard around the country to select players for the different sporting codes.

 “One thing that is being identify is through the PNG Games, we have people like Toea Wisil from Jiwaka is now an Olympic athletic who is now considered a world class athlete,” said Tkatchenko.

“We are making sure that we have a team that would ensure that we win gold and be absolute champion for the Pacific games without fear or favor,” Tkatchenko said. 

He said with the sporting infrastructure development, it would be a lasting legacy for this country and the country must also win the games as well.