Vidya Lakhan, the President of the Pacific Games Council reaffirms the Council’s support for Tonga as the host Nation of the 2019 Pacific Games.
Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva told parliament he has doubts that Tonga will be ready in time to host the event.
He said the government had still not found land to build an 18-hole golf course and Lakhan says the Prime Minister should speak more with his own people.
“We had obtained the Ancient Golf Aisa Pacific who are responsible for Golf in this part of the world and we had obtained their agreement to host the sport of gold in 2019 in a 9 hole golf course. That’s gone to Tonga in writing. I don’t know why the PM is looking for land to build an 18 hole golf course.”
He adds the Pacific Games Council has always taken a flexible approach to the requirements of the sporting facilities to ensure that the Games leave Tonga with an affordable legacy.
The Pacific Games Council said it will continue to work cooperatively with the Tongan Government to ensure that the Games venue requirements are affordable and to ensure that the budget of the Games Organising Committee remains modest but capable of supporting a successful Pacific Games.
“I urge the Government to fully get behind the Games and move forward with the exciting plans they have developed to build the facilities and deliver the Games in conjunction with the Tonga 2019 Pacific Games Organising Committee,” Lakhan said.
Vidhya Lakhan said the Tonga 2019 Games Organising Committee budget is considerably much smaller than the budgets of the past two previous hosts and is similar to the Samoa’s budget when it staged the Pacific Games in 2007.