Pacific Games 2019

Matatia declared the Organising Committee's vision when providing a progress report at the Pacific Games Council (PGC) General Assembly here.

It was the first chance for Pacific Games Associations (PGA) to receive a full run down of Samoa 2019's plans and vision for the event.

Samoa were awarded the 2019 Pacific Games in December as a replacement for Tonga.

It followed Tonga's Government withdrawing from hosting due to financial concerns.

Samoa was awarded the games in September last year after Tonga pulled out, saying it could not afford to host them.

The Pacific Games Council held hold its Annual General Meeting in Apia this weekend, where members received an update on how Samoa is progressing.

Chief Executive of the Pacific Games Office, Falefata Hele Matatia, says the country is ecstatic to be hosting the Games and has met every deadline required of them.

The Council confirmed on Monday it would formally terminate the host agreement with Tonga, after the deadline passed for the government to recommit its support.

It has also begun legal proceedings against the government, following its decision to unilaterally withdraw from hosting the event.

The same six countries and territories have held every edition of the Games, since they started in 1963.

Tonga were awarded hosting rights in 2012 but last month the Prime Minister, 'Akilisi Pohiva, pulled the government's support, initially citing financial reasons but then saying his government had other priorities.

The President of the Fiji Olympic Committee, Joe Rodan Senior, said the FANSAOC Board discussed a possible bid before deciding against it.

"For two years (until the Games begin) it's too short a time for us to really prepare our organising committee or organising officials to host the Games," he said.

Council President Vidhya Lakhan and CEO Andrew Minogue met with the Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva, and two of his ministers on Tuesday, in a last ditch attempt to try and change their minds.

But the Prime Minister said the cabinet's decision was final and they government wished to focus its resources on other more important areas of economic development.

Andrew Minogue said the Games Council met with a lawyer in Nuku'alofa this week and if there was no change in stance from the government by the end of June, they will begin proceedings to seek damages through the court.

Kaniva News understands the meeting was attended by members of the Tonga Aotearoa Amateur Sports Association (TAASA).

TAASA describes itself on Facebook and how it operates as “an administrative sports organisation in junction with TASANOC Tonga”.

It held a meeting earlier on in Otahuhu in which members passed a decision to launch a petition against the governmentʻs stance on the Games.

Lord Sevele wanted to solicit the representatives’ views on what they could do to bring back the Games to Tonga.

A statement from the office described the decision as “very difficult.”

“Tonga will be no lesser as a nation for not hosting.

“We need to understand that a mirror was held to the sporting face of our nation and it was not a good reflection and has not been for a very long time.

“The lesson here is to own that fact and those of us who have held the wheel will need to be honest with ourselves.”

The Prime Minister’s office reiterated that the decision to withdraw was based on World Bank report which said Tonga could not afford to hold the Games.

The Council was formally advised of the government's decision to pull out on Wednesday, because of financial concerns, five days after the move was approved by cabinet.

The Pacific Games Council said it was not consulted in the decision and no attempt was made to seek their assistance to address the Government's financial concerns over staging the Games.

"We have a contract that we signed in 2012, when our General Assembly awarded Tonga the Games and there are termination and suspension clauses in the contract," said Council CEO Andrew Minogue.

EM TV reported that Minister Justin Tkatchenko quoted Prime Minister Peter O’Neil as well as the National Executive Council as saying they had been presented with an overall costing of expenses for Tonga’s project.

“With an estimated K49 million set aside for this purpose, the Minister for Sport, Justin Tkatchenko, has said that, with the PNG economy in a downturn, and with the elections on the horizon, the commitment at the moment was domestic, but that they would still offer assistance to the Pacific Island nation”, the report said.

RNZ reports the country's Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva told Parliament earlier this year he was doubtful that Tonga would be ready in time to host the Games.

He also became embroiled in a dispute with Lord Sevele, who he attempted to remove as CEO of the Tonga 2019 Organising Committee.

President of the Pacific Games Council, Vidhya Lakhan, said his organisation knows what is required to deliver a successful Pacific Games and have been doing so for over 40 years.

He said Tonga had the people and the time to ensure it puts on a memorable Games.