PAPUA New Guinea has won the hosting right for the 2015 Pacific Games.
The event will be held in Port Moresby.The decision was made after the annual general meeting of Pacific Games Council in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, yesterday afternoon.
Mel Donald chaired the PNG 2015 Bid Committee. The proposed site for the Athletes Village is the University of Papua New Guinea, with the games to be held mostly around the National Capital District.
According to the Cook Islands Pacific Mini Games website, bids were lodged on the 27 March 2009 to host the 2015 Pacific Games by three PGAs to the Council and member PGAs.
These bids were received from the PGAs of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga. Subsequently Solomon Islands withdrew their bid.
These bids were of a high standard and exceptional quality, confirming the capacity and willingness of our PGAs to bid to host our Games.
PGC President Vidhya Lakhan In congratulating the PGAs of PNG and Tonga for their initiative recognised the commitment and professionalism in these bid documents adding to the prestige surrounding the Pacific Games.
He personally congratulated the Governments of Papua & New Guinea and the Kingdom of Tonga in recognising the value of their investments into the hosting of the Pacific Games.
Their support and unreserved undertakings to fund the costs to Host the 2015 Pacific Games is gratefully recognised by the Council.
Papua New Guinea pledged US$100-million to the games budget and Tonga pledged US$50-million.
The 22 member countries of the Pacific Games Council cast their vote and the President called all members to assemble in Port Moresby, PNG in 2015 for the Pacific Games.
President Vidhya took this opportunity to thank the PGA of Tonga, the losing bidder noting the importance to our future that PGAs invest in these Games and in this bidding process.
“I wish to recognise the considerable human resource and volunteer investments along with the Tongan Government’s financial investment it is this support that is applauded, and on behalf of the Council and the member PGA I congratulate and thank you.
"In congratulating PNG, the host of the 2015 Pacific Games, I like you am excited and enthusiastic to the future that you offer to the Pacific Games movement and its member PGAs.
“We will now forge new partnerships with you, your Government and our Games partners, let the planning of these Games in PNG begin,” the challenge issued by the President to the host PGA of 2015.
The voting resulted in 25 votes to PNG and 22 votes to Tonga and concluded with the signing of the Host Agreement for the 2015 Games by the Minister of Sports Dame Carol Kidu for the PNG Government; Sir Henry ToRobert for the host PGA; and President Lakhan on behalf of the Pacific Games Council.
Meanwhile, preparations are well underway for the next Pacific Games, which will be held in New Caledonia.
In August, NC2011 celebrated two years to go before the opening ceremony of the XIV Pacific Games by unveiling "Joemy", the official mascot for the 2011 Pacific Games.
The Pacific Games Council said "Joemy" represented a type of bat (la roussette) which was unique to New Caledonia, and was designed by a local New Caledonian school student Jean-Philippe Collobert.
"Joemy" beat out some strong competition in a vote participated in by more than 7,000 New Caledonians.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
