By Ephata Samuel – EM TV Sport, Port Moresby
Sport and Pacific Games Minister, Justin Tkatchenko inspected the Taurama aquatic and indoor complex in Port Moresby yesterday.
The indoor complex will be the venues for basketball and volleyball with a world class swimming pool built outside for next year’s Pacific Games.
The Minister also took the opportunity to dismiss critics claiming that all infrastructure cost close to two billion kina.
“The total cost to build these infrastructures is K1.2 billion. Not 2 billion Kina, as suggested by some people,” Tkatchenko said when referring to the 2015 Budget.
He said the estimates were done by the Pacific Games Authority and all construction was being done within budget.
“These estimates were given by the Pacific Games Authority headed by prominent businessman, Kostas Constatinou and these are very credible people who know what it means to have these infrastructures ready in time for the Games and within budget,” he said.
Fletcher Morobe Project manager, Geoff Hall said construction of the indoor complex was progressing well, with more than 350 Papua New Guineans employed on site working seven days a week.
Venues infrastructure and equipment committee CEO, Paul Stangroom, who has been in the post for the past six months, said Fletcher Morobe was doing an exceptional job to have the project completed before the opening ceremony on July 4.
The indoor complex will comprise six volleyball and basketball courts with seating in between for about 2,000 spectators with three courts on each side.
The complex will also house two studios for martial arts sports such as taekwondo and karate.
Access to the aquatic centre was restricted as a lot of concrete work was taking place in preparation for the installation of the new stainless steel 25 meter training pool and 50 meter competition pool from Italy.
The K180 million project with its beautiful architecture will be completed by May 2015.
