Tonga hopes to learn from PNG’s situation, improve for 2019

 TONGA’S 2019 Pacific Games chairman Lord Fred Sevele says Tonga should learn from Papua New Guinea’s mistakes and get its house in order to host the next Games in its capital, Nuku’alofa.

Sevele made the comment after the Pacific Games Council endorsed the 2019 Pacific Games master plan last week. 

During the visit to Tonga last week, the PGC board endorsed the master plan, including the review on 2015 Pacific Games to be hosted by PNG.

Chairman Vidya Lakahn told the 2019 Tonga Games Organising Committee that his board was satisfied that the plan was consistent with the ‘Walking Games’ concept, where the majority of the Games venues would be located in the main population centre of Nuku’alofa and within walking distance of athletes’ accommodation.  “We are pleased to see that Tonga’s master plan avoids mistakes that some previous Games hosts have made in building venues in locations where few people live and where public transport to these venues is limited,” Sevele said.

 “The Pacific Games Council executive board has urged the Tongan government to endorse the plan and move swiftly towards its implementation so that venues can be built or refurbished well in advance before the Games in 2019.”

Lord Sevele cited PNG’s preparation as an example.

He said PNG was awarded in 2009 the rights to host the 2015 Pacific Games and their budget for the 2015 Games in 2009 was just over US$100 million (K264m). 

But with four months left before the official opening on July 4, its budget has skyrocketed to US$700m (K1.8 billion) as investors have found it difficult to make a positive turnover in just over a year’s investment.

Sevele said he hoped Tonga learned from PNG’s mistakes and acted now. 

“It’s not too much work if we all put our minds and energy together in making it happen. We cannot afford to wait until the dates draw nearer to start working.”