Samoa to host Pacific Games 2019 [1]
Monday, September 4, 2017 - 18:34. Updated on Wednesday, September 20, 2017 - 22:43.
Samoa will host the 2019 Pacific Games after winning the hosting rights when it was unanimously approved by the Pacific Games Council Executive Board.
This comes after the Tongan government in May this year, cancelled its hosting citing, "enormous challenge of mobilizing finance and the impact of the cost on Tonga's budget deficit".
Pacific Games Council President Vidhya Lakhan said that Samoa is an experienced and capable recent host of major events like the 2007 South Pacific Games and 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games.
"The sporting facilities are all in place and the full and financial support of the Samoan Prime Minister and Government gave the Samoan Pacific Games Association’s bid the winning edge. We all look forward to returning to Apia in 2019."
PGC is expected to sign the Games Host Agreement with PGA Samoa and Government in the next 10-days, and thanked the Samoan Prime Minister and Government for its commitment to support the Samoa PGA and fully underwrite the cost of staging the games.
The board had assessed that the expression of interest by Samoa was the only one that met all the criteria, most notably the full financial commitment of the host Government, including providing a range of other support services required to stage such an event.
Tahiti and Guam had also lodged expression of interest.