Pacific Mini Games

Having volunteers being part of the workforce is vital for the delivery of services during the Games.

This week, Van2017 Volunteer Team has begun its Team Leaders Orientation program with its 70 chosen Team Leaders, who will be working ‘hands on’ to direct and motivate their volunteers.

Van2017 CEO Clint Flood says the Volunteer Team Leader is an integral part in the success of a team project, and his or her role is to help streamline communication and provide structure and direction in fulfilling expectations for volunteers. 

According to Van2017 CEO Clint Flood, every single day from now on, people can realize that the Pacific Mini Games are just around the corner.

“Let me say that the Games were awarded with 2500 days to go, back in 2011. So over the last five years, the time has ticked away and a lot has been done,” he said.

“Now for the next 100 days, we want the whole country of Vanuatu to focus on what is going to happen in December when the ceremonies start and all the athletes are here. Finally, after six years of waiting, the Games will be on!”

“For some school children, it’s worth walking 10 km to meet Nasi, the Sagoa and hear about Pacific Mini Games,” said Nicholas Tadou, the Zone Curriculum Advisor at Melsisi village in the central part of Pentecost Island.

Nasi Team’s journey progressed from the South to Central parts of the island to raise awareness about the Games, making several stops at various schools in villages such as Baie Barrier, Point Cross, Londar, Ranwadi, Ranmawat and Melsisi.

The Zone Curriculum Advisor, Ms Priscilla Olul, said that the inception of Champions Program has boosted the knowledge of the children about the Pacific Mini Games, that Vanuatu is ready to host this year.

She said having the Champions Program taught in the classroom has been an eye opener for all the children to the big sporting event that will take place in December, and also spread information on sport and culture, healthy lifestyle, healthy habits, environment and having a champion’s character.

It is an opportunity for Vanuatu to showcase some of its outstanding cultural performance groups from Port Vila and Efate.

These performances will be presented according to a well-developed ceremonies order that has been developed alongside the Pacific Games Council charter.

These Cultural performances will be viewed by an audience of over two thousand and staged at the Korman Stadium as well as other sports venues to portray Vanuatu’s cultural pride for the 2017 Pacific Mini Games.

The Technical Delegate for Basketball 3x3, Annie Lafleur, made the comment during a visit to the Van2017 office in Port Vila to assess the preparations towards the Mini Games.

Mrs Lafleur is the Technical Delegate for Basketball 3x3 who came to Vanuatu for four days as directed by the Federation International Basketball Association, and she is also the Development Manager of FIBA Oceania.

Vanuatu 2017 and VASANOC (Vanuatu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee), with the generous assistance of the Carbine Club of Vanuatu, this Friday will be auctioning the 2000 Olympic Games Torch signed by Olympic Gold Medallists Cathy Freeman of Australia in Athletics and Barbra Kendall of New Zealand in Sailing.

The Carbine Club has been operating in other countries for 50 years. It was first founded as a men’s luncheon club in Melbourne in 1961 and is named after the legendary racehorse, Carbine.

Mr Ivers is the Technical Director as well as Secretary General of Oceania Judo, and spent four days in Port Vila to have interviews with key judo people in Vanuatu and visiting the Korman venue, where judo matches will take place.

“The building is big and has the perfect size - not too big so it can lose its intimacy, the crowd will be close, and it will bring the excitement, but obviously there’s still a lot of work to do at the venue,” he said.

Also during Mr Dadon’s visit to Vanuatu, he is to meet the Vanuatu Government’s Acting Prime Minister, Joe Natuman.

Given that Mr Dadon has been a youth advocate for a long time, the Vanuatu Ministry of Youth and Sport’s Acting Director, Paul Nalau, seized the opportunity to show him some of what the Ministry is doing for young people in Vanuatu.

A New Zealand Instructor for Netball Oceania, Belinda Clark, conducted theory and practical training for the Ni Vanuatu bench officials team.

“The bench officials are the people that keep the score sheets, keep shooting statistics, keep the time of the game, control the time of the game, help the umpires to manage the game, ensure the scoring is accurate, as well as the centre passes, and the smooth running of the games,” she said.