An Eleventh Hour Reprieve For Guam Games

There is still a question mark over the venue of the fifth South Pacific Games, scheduled for Guam in 1975. A mission from French Polynesia was scheduled to visit Guam in June to inspect facilities. If the miss ion’s report is unfavourable, a full session of the South Pacific Games Council will be held on or before August 20, 1974, to consider the future of the Games.

Representatives of eleven participating territories met in Suva on May 31 to consider the organisation of the fifth Games. Mr Les Martin, chairman of the First South Pacific Games Council, explained that three of the main participating territories—Fiji, New Caledonia and French Polynesia—were concerned about reports throwing doubt on whether Guam could stage the Games. They were concerned also because letters to Guam remained unanswered.

Mr Martin handed over chairmanship of the Suva meeting, constituted as an advisory committee under the Games charter, to Mr R. Delaveuve, of New Cale donia. Mr Delaveuve was one of the original party which drew up the charter.

The delegate from Guam admitted that the appre hensions of other territories about 1975 games were well founded. But from now on, he said, there would be no involvement of political ambition prejudicial to

the success of the Games. The Guam Governor, Mr Carlos Camacho, the legislature, sporting bodies, church organisations and the whole population enthusiastically supported the idea of Guam remaining as the host territory for the Fifth South Pacific Games, he said.

The delegate read a resolution of the Guam Legis lature of May 22, 1974, giving full support to the Games. A copy of the resolution was given to each delegate.

The delegate also showed films about Guam. These included shots of sporting facilities as they are at pre sent, and showing how they can be improved.

The advisory committee debated the matter for nine hours. Taking note of the reassurances and promises made by the Guam delegates it then voted unanimously for the Games to be staged between September 1 and 10, 1975, at Agana, Guam. There was, however, a proviso that there be a favourable report from the French Polynesia mission which visited Guam in June.

The territories represented at the Suva meeting were Fiji, Guam, Papua New Guinea, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis Island, the New Hebrides, the Cooks, Niue and the Samoas.

The date of September 1 is later than the original plan for the Games, which were scheduled for August.