The second workshop for National Olympic Committee Secretary Generals from 15 Pacific Island countries in Oceania is well underway in Guam. The first was held in 2011.
Apart from Australia and New Zealand, the only other missing NOC is Nauru.
The Secretary Generals are: Ethan Lake (American Samoa), Robert Graham (Cook Islands), Jim Tobin (FSM), Lorraine Mar (Fiji), Robert Steffy (Guam), Kautu Temakei (Kiribati), Baklai Temengil (Palau), Terry Sasser (RMI), Auvita Rapilla (PNG), Talalelei Pauga (Samoa), Melinda Avosa (Solomons), Takitoa Taumoepeau (Tonga), Isala Isala (Tuvalu), Cyrille Mainguy (Vanuatu) and Guam NOC CEO Anita Blas.
The Presidents are: Etisone Ed Imo (American Samoa), Martin Rara (Solomons) and Iakopo Moloti (Tuvalu).
NOC Presidents from American Samoa, Solomons and Tuvalu are part of the four day workshop conducted by Oceania National Olympic Committee by ONOC Secretary General Ricardo Blas and Executive Director Dennis Miller.
Blas says the objective is to get all NOCs on the same page moving forward into the new quadrennial.
The workshop also includes consultant Oceania Rugby Regional Training Manager and Oceania Sports Education Programme (OSEP) mentor Talemo Waqa, Sainimili Talatoka (OSEP Coordinator), Natanya Potoi –Ulia (ORADO Executive Officer) and Martin Burrows (Oceania Sports Information Center).
Important for NOC’s to be here says ONOC SG
Oceania National Olympic Committee (ONOC) Secretary General Ricardo Blas is disappointed that Nauru not is not at the 2nd NOC Secretaries General workshop in Guam.
“Very important for them to be,” said Blas.
The four- day workshop began on Sunday and is attended by 14 of the Pacific Island NOCs namely- American Samoa, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Guam, Kiribati, Marshalls, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomons, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Blas says the workshop is important for NOCs to know the direction in the next four years (quadrennial).
He says Guam and Cook Islands would be celebrating over 30 years of being in existence and its important to know the way forward.
“We need to move beyond just development. Look at Fiji (referring to the Olympic gold medal win 2016).
“Recent actions of WADA saw Samoa getting a silver medal. Tonga in 96.”
Blas says the focus is on governance and how NOCs need to line-up with the requirements of the Olympic Charter and their Constitutions.
He said two NOCs have been sending athletes to the Olympics in the last 10 years but have had no elections.
“Otherwise they won’t get any support from Olympic Solidarity.”
The workshop concludes tomorrow.
Ends
ONOC Digest