Up Front

with the Editor

3N the eve of such stirring events as the Papua New Guinea in ependence celebrations and the stablishment of the separate British jrritory of Tuvalu (Ellice Islands), omment in this column about the ifth South Pacific Games that has ist finished in Guam, might seem lappropriate. But the shambles at iuam can have long-term con jquences for all the South Pacific nless the lessons to be learned from are examined now, while the de lils are still fresh in everybody’s finds, and time doesn’t erode the ;solve to avoid a recurrence.

If there were another Games like uam, we can write finish to the eals of the South Pacific Games— hose concept was created in Rabaul, NG, in 1959 on the assumption that copies who play together, stay to :ther. Since 1963, when the first ames took place at Suva, they have :en a resounding success in every ay—until Guam. Each Games— iva, Noumea, Port Moresby, Pa ete—was better than the last. Un- Guam. PIM staffers have covered ery Games in detail, but John irter’s report about the Guam ames on the next page makes de

essing reading.

The South Pacific Games Council wise to have decided that Vila, ;w Hebrides, will not be confirmed site for the Sixth Games in 1978 til council members assure them ves in the next year that the New tbrides can do the job. But it auld take the opportunity to go ther, and to survey the whole his y of the Games so far.

After five Games, each in a differ ; territory, what have we learned aut just what it costs a host terri y, in cash and in personnel, to ge such an event? How much mey should be expected from tropolitan governments? How my paid officials are required, w many volunteers, how much nsport is needed, what are the )blems of food and accommoda n, what is the maximum distance ;t can be tolerated between the ious venues at any Games? In

deed, should we cease to move the Games to different territories and select a permanent site, or at least two or three sites only? it’ s time, too, for the sporting fix tures themselves to be appraised, pim has complained twice in the past that the official records of results are inaccurate and incomplete in small ways and that this should be remedied. It hasn’t been done. But we should also be asking ourselves whether we really need to stage such sports as, for example, golf, cycling, archery, or even yachting—domi nated perhaps by small groups of expatriates who can afford them, or by national groups to the detriment of all others. If we decide to stick to archery why not also include com petition with native bow and arrow* if we want yachting why not also canoe racing? Should we not also include, in athletics, a coconut palm climbing event or coconut , . . . ■ We should be examining the Games II everJ l f P art ' cula .r- “> see whether ,V make lt , more genuinely “ Il' ore fu "’ well as uf"J 8 more f' eat - The CjUam de ' bac i e glves us . th ?E opportunity and perhaps we should be thankful to have the warning before it is too

late

Stuart Inder