Venue change defended

The National Sports

PAPUA New Guinea Games Council chairman and PNG Sports Foundation executive director Albert Veratau says there is no political interference with the deferral of the eighth PNG Games to September and the change in venue.
Veratau’s comments came after concerns were raised on the council’s decision to move the Games from Port Moresby back to Southern Highlands.
“I must emphasise that the politicians have not taken over our game, PNG Games belongs to the PNG Games Council and the authority resides with them. That hasn’t change,” Veratau said.
“There has been a lot of conversations around having the games in Mendi surrounding political influence of the PNG Games.
“But from the council meeting we had (over the weekend), they (council members) didn’t feel that the politicians have taken over our game as the authority to decide where the Games are hosted resides with the council members.”
The eighth edition of the Games was initially scheduled to be hosted in Mendi however last year the council agreed to move it to Port Moresby as Mendi was not prepared to host the games.
However, early this month, the Games set for Port Moresby from Jan 10-20 was deferred again to September, with tentative dates set for Sept 15-27.
“When we deferred our eighth Games in January this year, it was because over 90 per cent of the provinces have not paid for their airfares,” Veratau said.
“A general circular was sent out to defer the games in Port Moresby.
“During that period, Prime Minister James Marape was in Southern Highlands, in Kagua when conversations came up about PNG Games. Upon discussions from members from the province, seeing what has been happening in that part of the Highlands, and challenges they’ve been facing with their youths engaging in other activities, the prime minister committed to have the games brought back to Mendi to use the opportunity to bring everybody together (through sport).”
Veratau said the Games council agreed to move the games to Mendi based on Marape’s recommendation to use the Games to unite the youths in the area.