PNG Games postponed

By PATRICIA KEAMO
THE Papua New Guinea Games Council says funding constraints and the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has forced another postponement of the eighth edition of the event.
The Games have been re-scheduled to November and December next year.
The Games were supposed to be held this month in Kagua-Erave, Imbonggu and Ialibu-Pangia with the finals set for Mendi, Southern Highlands.
Host organising committee chairman Sape Molumi said: “The Games should have been held in 2019, but the council passed a resolution that the Games would be held every three years.
“So that further deferred the games to 2021.
“In 2019, we started receiving funding, K10 million came from the Government and K7 million from the Southern Highlands government.
“By then, we had undergone feasibility studies, the designing of the facilities and construction.
“By the time we were trying to get the construction going, Covid-19 came about.
“Most of the materials like steel structures and synthetic track had to be ordered overseas so much of the money was allocated to order those materials directly from factories.
“Given the foreign exchange rates and transfer of money overseas, we had to wait for Bank of Papua New Guinea to approve, especially with millions of Kinas. The procurement process started in 2019 and, while we were trying to order those materials, Covid-19 broke out in China.
“Most of those materials were ordered from China but then the factories were shut down (due to Covid-19).
“It took about two to three months to get the money out and another six to seven months to wait for the arrival of the materials.
“Fortunately, we received all the building materials, including the International Associations of Athletics Federation standard synthetic track and all the steel structures for the stadium at the beginning of 2020.
“Funding is an issues because the money budgeted doesn’t come in as required.”
Molumi said some of their funding was cut by the Government for the Covid-19 operations in the country.
“The Government wanted to concentrate on Covid-19, so it decided to cut funding for sports,” he said.
“K10 million was allocated for this year, but K6 million was removed for Covid-19.
“But we have the backing of Southern Highlands Governor William Powi and Prime Minister James Marape who are adamant on hosting the Games in the province.”
Meanwhile chairman of the PNG Games council and PNG Sports Foundation Chief Executive Albert Veratau said they couldn’t announce the decision to cancel the games earlier as they were waiting for the 28 members of the council to approve their recommendation.