Promised Games funding yet to come

 By WENDY KATUSELE

THE National Government’s promised K23 million funding for the sixth PNG Games in Lae needs to be released quickly to maintain the high standards set by the last host Kokopo.

The East New Britain tourism hub, staged the 2012 games with a budget of more than K15 million – most of it coming from the Government coffers.

Lae is also hoping it can either emulate or better that with a large component of its projected funding to come from the National Government as well. 

Much of the funding has been budgeted for infrastructure development and upgrading existing facilities.

However, the host organising committee is now faced with the dilemma of raising that amount to improve the existing 19 venues, accommodate the 28 sports on the games charter before November.

Organisers had projected that it would cost K30 million to host the games and they are not even halfway to reaching that amount. 

The Morobe provincial government has released K1 million with a further K4 million expected to be released soon. 

The organising committee could be forced to utilise the provincial government grant to prepare the venues if the state does not kick in funding soon.

The venues include the Lae Football Association ground (soccer), the Niall reserve at Eriku (basketball, volleyball, AFL), Scout Hall oval (softball), SCRUM oval (rugby sevens), Lae Rugby League ground (league nines), and the Lae market hockey field, Igam barracks (darts) and Lae Bowls club (bowls), the University of Technology (cricket, soccer), Sir Ignatius Kilage stadium (athletics, netball, swimming).

HOC has 292 days to have its facilities ready to host what is by far the largest national sports event.

A committee member, who declined to be named, said they were already struggling to have all the venues up to acceptable standards.

“These venues are all in need of a major face lift,” he said. 

He has called on the nine local Members of Parliament to financially support this important event, adding that most athletes would come from the districts.

“If we have to beat Kokopo, we need to be on top of things so these MPs need to help us show the other provinces what we made of,” he said.