Pacific Games Council impressed with Games facilities

PORT MORESBY, July 3 – The Pacific Games Council (PGC) has expressed a vote-of-confidence in Papua New Guinea being ready to host the Port Moresby 2015 Pacific Games.

At a press conference on Thursday, the PGC president Vidhya Lakhan (FIJ) said he never doubted PNG’s ability to have the venues ready in time for the start of the Games.

“The venues have far exceeded our expectations, Lakhan said.

“These are best venues we have ever had for the Games. As far as we are concerned, we are in Games delivery mode and everything is looking very good.”

He said there were no issues with the venues as most of them had been used in test events and were in good working order. “The venues that we are provided at these Games are far-far better than what we had experienced in the past,” said Lakhan.

“In term of the Games Village, we took the opportunity on Tuesday to visit and from what we have seen, we are quite confident that the athletes will have an excellent Games Village, a home away from home.”

Lakhan said there had been some issues but the Games Organising Committee (GOC) was making progress on matters that needed addressing to ensure that everything worked well for the safety and comfort of the athletes.

He said he was grateful that the GOC opened the village three days before the start of the Games to accommodate some of the teams that had arrived early for training. “What we want to say to the people of PNG is that we are convinced PNG is ready to host the 24 island nations that will be taking part in the XV Pacific Games,” Lakhan said.

“We are grateful to the people of Port Moresby and PNG for the support that they are providing in various capacities to the GOC to ensure that we do have an excellent Games.”