Work starts on Village
The National, Wednesday 24th April 2013
By HENRY MORABANG
PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill, pictured, will officiate at the groundbreaking ceremony at the Games Village site at the University of Papua New Guinea Waigani Campus this morning.
The Games Village is the second major infrastructure project to have its groundbreaking ceremony.
Venues yet to have any groundbreaking include the Sir John Guise Indoor Complex, Sir John Guise Outdoor Stadium and the Rita Flynn Netball Courts.
Other sporting venues include the Boroko Sports Ground for softball, soccer, rugby, cricket, lawn bowls and PRL oval plus the sea sports venues at Ela Beach.
The most worrying part of the preparations for the 2015 Pacific Games is that there is likely to be a three-month delay because of the late public tender inviting project management and consultancy services for the infrastructure projects as recently advertised in daily newspapers.
O’Neill will do the honours today before Minister for Sports and 2015 Pacific Games Justin Tkatchencko gives an update on preparations.
The Venue Infrastructure & Equipment Committee’s (VIEC) original dates said construction of the Games Village was to started last month (March 2013) to be completed in January, 2015.
The Games Village accommodation will have 1,100 rooms for 4,400 athletes and officials.
Today’s programme: 10am: Guests arrive; 10.15am: Welcome by UPNG students; 10.25am: Address by UPNG Vice Chancellor; 10.35am: Address by Tkatchenko; 10.45am: groundbreaking by PM Peter O’Neill.