Tonga is bidding to host the Pacific Games in 2015 and has earmarked a proposed USD$50 million budget to finance the construction of new sporting facilities and infrastructure over the next six years.

This was announced at a press conference on July 21 during a two day visit by the President of the Pacific Games Council Mr Vidhya Lakhan and Executive Director Andrew Minogue to review Tonga's bid, lodged by the Tonga Sports Association and National Olympic Committee (TASANOC).

Mr Lakhan said the purpose of the visit was to meet with the committee to ensure that they fully understood the logistics of hosting a games of this magnitude, which in the past has drawn over 4,000 athletes from 22 Pacific Island countries to compete.

"We need to ensure that Tonga has the capacity to stage the largest singular event the South Pacific region holds every year." At the same time they agreed that so far their first impression was good in relation to the level of organisation shown by the committee.

While in Tonga, the President and Director were to meet the Prime Minister Hon Dr Feleti Sevele to discuss Tonga's bid. "It is important that Tonga gets the support of its Government," he said.

The visit also provided an opportunity for them to look around and inspect existing sporting facilities and infrastructure in Nuku'alofa.

Budget

The Chief Executive Officer of Tonga's 2015 Bid Committee 'Ahongalu Fusimalohi said in Tonga's bid they had earmarked a proposed budget of USD$50 million.

"If the bid is successful this will be used mainly for infrastructure work that will entail the construction of new sporting facilities such as a new indoor stadium, an aquatic centre and 18-hole golf course over the next six years.

"We are proposing Government to take up $5 million of the cost while we raise the rest preferably from aid donors, and if not, we will ask Government for a soft loan," he said.

'Ahongalu added that they had submitted their budget to Government but had yet to receive an answer.

Tonga's bid is against the likes of Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea and the winning host country will be announced on September 27 during the Pacific Games Council Annual General Meeting in Rarotonga.