Pacific Games Council Backs Tonga to Deliver in 2019 Featured
Colourful Opening Ceremony South Pacific Games in Port Moresby PNG
23 July, 2015. The Pacific Games Council remains confident Tonga will deliver a successful event in 2019 despite preparations being already more than a year behind schedule.
The Kingdom beat Tahiti in a vote three years ago, despite not having secured the funding required to host the Games.
The Tonga government has since announced plans to raise departure tax and charges on foreign exchange in an effort to help cover costs.
The Executive Director of the Pacific Games Council, Andrew Minogue, says they've also reminded Tonga they don't need to try and compete with the likes of Papua New Guinea, who have aspirations to host the Commonwealth Games.
"There's no doubt that they've got some concerns over the scale and size of the Games [in Tonga] compared to what's happened here in Port Moresby but we just continue to reassure them that that's not the benchmark that they have to follow. I think Tonga and our Council have been assured that Tonga remain committed to hosting the Games - what we need Tonga to do is build facilities that are required for Tonga and the future generations of young Tongan athletes coming through their system".
Andrew Minogue says the Tongan Sports Minister delivered an update during the recent Games in PNG and they are comfortable with where preparations are at.
Source: Radio New Zealand
