SPGA Board Gets Sports Off The Blocks
06 February 2005
Co-Chairpersons of the South Pacific Games Authority (SPGA) Board of Director Faumuina Liuga and Fiame Naomi Mataafa finally met with the most important stake holder to the success / lack of success when Samoa host the 2007 SPG. They are the Team Samoa. The get together last Thursday at Leva`s Club finally brought the SPGA hierarchy face to face with the heads of the sports nominated that will make up Team Samoa for the 2007 games in a " lets get on with it" get together last Thursday.
Faumuina outlined what SPGA and the people of Samoa want from the 2007 Games
"We want to host the best SPG Games both in facilities and performance," he said.
"Government has committed the resources to ensure that these aims are achieved." he added. Referring to the Elite Athlete Performance assistance, the Ministers urged the sporting organizations to fully utilize and take advantage of this rare generosity from the taxpayer's dollars. The co-Chairpersons again reiterate the SPGA confidence in the completion of all the SPG 2007 Facilities in time so Team Samoa could use for their preparations before 2007. Sports who are currently finding it hard to prepare due to lack of facilities or are using inferior facilities will welcome the optimistic forecast from the SPGA Board and their CEO. Weightlifting and the Boxing teams received a timely gift in the form of better training facilities from SPGA Board. The Ministers have commandeered Leva`s Club for the two Organizations to use the building for their preparations. Tuaopepe Jerry Wallwork and Lesa Herber Fatupaito, Presidents of Samoa Weightlifting Federation and Samoa Amateur Boxing Association were ecstatic with the offer.
"This is the best thing that has happed for both sports in a very long time," they both commented. Other sports who are in the same "poor or inferior trains facilities" are now praying that the facilities earmarked for them by SPGA will be ready so they can prepare in first class facilities. Sports like Taekwondo, Judo, Boxing, Wrestling, Weightlifting, Power Lifting, and Hockey to name a few will be watching the completion dates of each facility with anticipation. Soccer, Rugby Cricket and those other fortunate enough to have International standard facilities are well on their preparations without the worries of poor training facilities.
Team Samoa boosted
By Anthony Upton
06 February 2005
Team Samoa received funds of more than $430,000 from the South Pacific Games Authority (SPGA) last Thursday. This will help them start their preparations for the 2007 South Pacific Games. The funds were granted during a meeting in the SPGA office between Co-chairman of the Board, Minister of Works, Faumuina Liuga and Minister of Education and Sports, Fiame Naomi Mataafa and representatives of different sports bodies.
At the meeting, sports representatives voiced what they needed to prepare Team Samoa for the 2007 Games. The funds are not for general sport development. The intention is for this money to be spent medal hopefuls. The money will be used to buy equipment for training and preparations. SPGA will be working very closely with contractors to ensure facilities are ready for Team Samoa's training. SPGA is hoping to have the athletes training in the new facilities by early next year. In addition to facilities, news on the completion of all facilities was also discussed during the meeting. SPGA is positive all facilities will be ready before the 2007 Games.
Last Modified on 10/12/2008 13:17