Pacific Mini Games

Small Tahiti delegation expected at Mini Games

The French Polynesian government has reiterated it will go ahead with a boycott of the Mini Games, following a disagreement over who should represent the territory in boxing.

The CEO of Pacific Games Council Andrew Minogue said their position remained the same: in the absence of an elected Olympic Committee in Tahiti, sporting federations that want to attend the Games are welcome, provided they are recognised by their respective international federations.

Van2017 Pacific Mini Games promotes women in sports

On Saturday 4 November 2017, a sport schedule was put in place with the assistance of Football Technical Delegate, Michael Song, to come up with a final draft.

In the Men’s entries, there are 6 Teams from Fiji, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu; and for the women’s entries, there are 4 Teams coming from Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.

According to Van2017 Sports Department, women’s soccer will be happening at the Port Vila Stadium and at Korman stadium, from the December 2 to December 14, 2017.

Korman Complex in Vanuatu handed over

Van2017 CEO Clint Flood said the Games organisers were grateful to have the venues completed on time and handed over a month out from the opening ceremonies on December 4.

"Van2017 now has a big job to put in place all the tents, cabins, signage, fencing, sports equipment and get all the food, security and other contractors mobilised on site," he said.

"We will be working 14 hours a day, 7 days a week for the next 30 days to put the finishing touches on the Games preparations at Korman, as well as the other sporting venues being used."

Pacific Games Council rejects Tahiti snub

The withdrawal, announced by the director of French Polynesia's youth and sport service Anthony Pheu, follows a disagreement over who should represent Tahiti's boxers in Port Vila in December.

In August, a court order annulled the elections of the officers of the Pacific Games Association of Tahiti.

The President of the Games Council, Vidhya Lakhan, said all entries for the Mini Games need to be submitted under the signature of the President or Secretary General of a member country's Pacific Games Association.

190 women ready to provide ‘Nambawan Klining’ for upcoming Mini games

Last week 19 women’s group representatives put pen on the paper to confirm their commitment to the Pacific Mini Games workforce services.

“Without you, our villages will not be clean; we need you to make sure that our athletes feel at home,” said VanCEO Clint Flood, in his remarks to all local contractors.

Mini Games Team Leader “heads-up” for the Games

All Team Leaders (TLs) assigned to the various Games (Functional Areas) FAs - Venues, Villages, Transport, Technology, Medics, Sport, Accreditation, Pacific Games Association, Security, Games Venues and Services, Marketing which covers VIP/Protocol, Ticketing and Sponsor Activation, and Media – were presented an overview on how their respective FAs interface with each other, with regards spaces to be occupied and especially the main services to be provided which are Volunteers, Catering, Technology and Transport.

Logistics for Mini Games under construction by local contractors

Van2017 contracted Vanuatu Institute of Technology to build the podiums that will be used by athletes when receiving their medals.

VIT students spent almost two weeks to build these podiums, which are planned to be placed at each sports field of play, mainly at Korman Venue. At the end of last week, they were stocked at the warehouse, waiting for final touches before December.

Sailosi Rezel from Van2017 Venues Department explained that few additional ramps were also constructed to accommodate athletes with disability to access podiums for medal presentations.

SDA signs venue agreement with Pacific Mini Games organisers

On September 21, SDA Mission authorities, led by the SDA mission President Pastor Nos Mailalong Terry, signed a Venue Use Agreement with Van2017 CEO Clint Flood for the use of the Multipurpose Hall currently under construction and in its finishing stages at Epauto Area. The hall will be designated as the Weightlifting competition venue for the Games in December.

North Efate choir fundraises for Pacific Mini Games costumes

More than 160 youths and people from the communities of Emua, Sama, Paunangisu and others gathered together at Paunangisu village last Friday for a fund raiser organized by the choir.

Alphonse Jack, who is the coordinator of the choir group as well as of this fund-raising program, explained that the purpose of that event was to collect funds toward the purchase of their costumes for the Opening ceremony of the Pacific Mini Games.

Vanuatu children put their wishes in the Sagoa for Pacific Mini Games athletes

Van2017 wants to make sure that people in the villages in Vanuatu are involved in and own the Games in December.

As their journey progress along Island in the Province of Penama, Sagoa and the lovable bird Nasi are capturing children’s hearts, as well as promoting healthy habits and lifestyles, through the inception of the Champions Program in schools.

Having Nasi and the Sagoa in person in front of them has boosted children’s knowledge about the Pacific Mini Games that Vanuatu is ready to host this year.