We will deliver

 By MARGARET TALINGAPUA

CONSTRUCTION on all the major venues for the 2015 Pacific Games is on target and will be completed by July 4 when the Games start, Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko says.

Tkatchenko said he was briefed regularly – daily and hourly and on some days – on the progress of venue construction  taking place in Port Moresby.

“We are currently managing more than 22 infrastructure projects for the Pacific Games and I can comfortably say that the Games Village will be completed for all athletes to sleep and stay in,” he said in Parliament yesterday.

Tkatchenko was responding to questions raised by Telefomin MP, Solan Mirisim on the preparedness of venues for the Pacific Games which would start with the opening ceremony at the Sir John Guise Stadium on July 4.

He assured Parliament that work on all venues was nearing completion and the event, which is costing the state K1.2 billion, would be delivered on time.

Tkatchenko said finishing touches would be done by June and Team PNG athletes would be given one month before the Games to use the facilities in preparation for the competition.

The Moresby South MP, who is also in charge of national events, said it was important for national athletes to use the facilities and the public could rest assured that this was a priority.

“Despite unforeseen issues that have popped up, preparations are moving forward,” Tkatchenko said.

He said the Pacific Games Organising Committee was going to start of the main preparations for the event 100 days out with a Games baton relay through to all provinces starting next month. 

He assured the Parliament that the athletes who had been in training for the last three years would not let the country down.

Mirisim said after the government had spent so much money on the Games preparedness and staging and it would be an international embarrassment if the country could not provide proper playing venues or even finish highly.

He said aside from providing the facilities and other services to a level that was comparable to world standards, a second or third place finish on the medal tally would not be acceptable and topping the count would justify the preparation, time, money and effort put in by all stakeholders.