K20 million allocated for PNG Games

The provincial government of Southern Highlands Province has allocated K20 million for the PNG Games, which will be hosted in Mendi this November.

The K20 million was part of the K400 million 2020 provincial budget break up.

The Provincial Budget consisted of K218 million in the National Government grants and Provincial Government Internal Revenue of K192 million.

The Southern Highlands Provincial Host Organising Committee of the PNG Games is very excited about the support it received from the provincial government.

Chairman Sape Molume said, the funding will help to upgrade existing sporting facilities and prepare for the 21 codes that are in the 2020 PNG Games sports program, which will be played in all the districts in the province.

The Games are scheduled to be played in the districts of Kagua-Erave, Imbonggu and Ialibu-Pangia while the finals will be played in central Mendi.

Tentatively, soccer will be hosted in Kagua, netball, volleyball and basketball will be held at the Western Pacific University at central Ialibu and rugby 7s and 9s will be played at the Pangia high school.

Additionally, five stadiums will be built in five various districts where the PNG Games will be hosted.

A stadium will be built in Kagua Erave district where it will host soccer, one in the Western Pacific University at central Ialibu, one at Walume Junction, one in Nipa district and two stadiums in Mendi town, including the main stadium.

The main stadium will be built at a cost of K31 million and will be located at the old PNG LNG project site at Oiyarep Lower Mendi. 

Chairman Molume said they have structured the Games in a way that all districts of the province will participate.

They are looking towards upgrading existing facilities and constructing new facilities where required, especially in schools and in doing so, improving service delivery infrastructure for the long term.

Many schools in the province will become part of the legacy programs that will see their facilities being upgraded for use during the PNG Games.

The committee is also calling on corporate bodies such as Oil Search, Kumul Petroleum, Bank South Pacific, MRDC and other interested partners to support the delivery of the PNG Games.

(Southern Highlands Provincial Host Organising Committee chairman, Sape Molume)

Author: 
Albert Moses