Draft Minutes of the Pacific Games Council General Assembly: 18-19 October 2012 Territorial Assembly, Mata-Utu, Wallis Island, Wallis and Futuna
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Draft Minutes of the Pacific Games Council General Assembly: 18-19 October 2012 Territorial Assembly, Mata-Utu, Wallis Island, Wallis and Futuna Present: Mr Vidhya Lakhan, President PGC (Chairman) Mr James Tobin, Vice President PGC Mr David Boyd, Secretary-General PGC Mr John Tierney, Treasurer PGC Mr Carl Probert, Athletes’ Representative PGC Ms Mel Donald, Board Member PGC Mr Andrew Minogue, Executive Director PGC Sir John Dawanincura, Past President PGC Mr Ricardo Blas, Past President PGC Reverend Ken Tupua, President, American Samoa Mr Hugh Graham, President, Cook Islands Mr Berney Martin, President, Federated States of Micronesia Ms Lorraine Mar, Secretary-General, Fiji Ms Alini Sovu, Chef de Mission, Fiji Ms Anita Blas, Chief Executive Officer, Guam Mr Rota Onorio, Secretary-General, Kiribati Mr Terry Sasser, Secretary-General, Marshall Islands The Hon. Marcus Stephen, President, Nauru Mr Guy Fenot, Vice President, New Caledonia Mr Laurent Cassier, Treasurer, New Caledonia Mr Michel Quintin, Executive Director, New Caledonia Mr Paul-Antoine Grangeon, New Caledonia Mr Maru Talagi, Vice President, Niue Mr Michael White, President, Northern Mariana Islands Mr Dennis Sterling, President, Norfolk Island Ms Auvita Rapilla, Secretary General, Papua New Guinea Ms Baklai Temengil, Secretary-General, Palau Nu’u Tapasu Leung Wai, President, Samoa Mr James Iroga, President, Solomon Islands The Hon. Tauhiti Nena, President, Tahiti Mr Thierry Hars, Secretary General, Tahiti Mr Charles Villierme, Executive Director, Tahiti Ms Susan Perez, Acting Secretary-General, Tokelau Lord Tevita Tupou, President, Tonga Siosifa Takitoa Taumoepeau, Secretary General, Tonga Mr Vete Sakaio, Vice President, Tuvalu Mr Joe Carlo, Vice President, Vanuatu Mr Soakimi Polelei, President, Wallis and Futuna 1 Draft Minutes of the Pacific Games Council General Assembly: 18-19 October 2012 Territorial Assembly, Mata-Utu, Wallis Island, Wallis and Futuna Observers: H.E. Michel Jean-Jean, Prefet in Wallis and Futuna, Government of France H.E. Vetelino Nau, President, Territorial Assembly of Wallis and Futuna H.E. Setefano Hanisi, the Kivalu, Minister representing the King of Wallis H.E. Setefano Takaniko, the Sa’atula, Minister representing Futuna The Hon. Mark Brown, Minister for Finance and Sport, Cook Islands COWF2013 Organising Committee Mr Vahai Tuulaki, President, Wallis and Futuna 2013 Mr Stephane Pambrun, Treasurer, Wallis and Futuna 2013 Ms Filomena Taufana, Secretary-General, Wallis and Futuna 2013 Mr Eddy Filipponi, Executive Director, Wallis and Futuna 2013 Mr Jeff Chelpi, Sports Director, Wallis and Futuna 2013 Ms Sophie Gandon, Marketing Director, Wallis and Futuna 2013 Ms Elodie Pintat, Village Director, Wallis and Futuna 2013 Mr Yanik Burkhard, Logistics Director, Wallis and Futuna 2013 Mr Florian Poiron, Volunteers Director, Wallis and Futuna 2013 Mr Pascal Potrick, Conseiller Technique, Wallis and Futuna 2013 Mr Patrick Bonfils, Conseiller Technique, Wallis and Futuna 2013 PNG2015 Organising Committee Mr Peter Stewart, Chief Executive Officer Tonga 2019 Bid Delegation HRH Prince Ata, Crown Prince of Tonga Lord Vaea, Minister for Internal Affairs and Sport Mr 'Ahongalu Fusimalohi Mr Lopeti Senituli Mr Michael Bloomfield Mr Paea Wolfgram Mrs Tupou Pasikala-Fiu Tahiti Nui 2019 Bid Delegation The Hon. Tauhiti Nena, Minister for Sport Mr Faana Taputu Mr Davidson Bennett Ms Daniele Guyonnet Ms Patricia Maire Teaotea 2 Draft Minutes of the Pacific Games Council General Assembly: 18-19 October 2012 Territorial Assembly, Mata-Utu, Wallis Island, Wallis and Futuna 1. CALL TO ORDER The President of the Pacific Games Council, Mr Vidhya Lakhan (Chairman of the meeting), called the meeting to order at 9.05am on Thursday 18 October and asked the Reverend Ken Tupua (American Samoa) to lead the General Assembly in prayer. The Chairman then asked that all attendees be upstanding to observe one minute’s silence in honor of the late former Cook Islands PGA President, Sir Geoffrey Henry. 2. ROLL CALL AND APOLOGIES David Boyd (Secretary-General) called the roll and informed the meeting that all 22 Pacific Games Associations (PGAs) were noted as present. Andrew Minogue (Executive Director) noted that two apologies had been received from the New Caledonia PGA - Charles Cali (President) and Roger Kaddour (Past President). The Chairman announced that with all PGAs present, the meeting had obtained the necessary quorum as per Article 13.4 of the Charter, and was thus declared open. 3. OFFICIAL OPENING ADDRESSES President Vidhya Lakhan (Chairman) formally welcomed all participants to the meeting and acknowledged the presence of the French Government’s Prefet in Wallis and Futuna, H.E. Michel Jean-Jean, the President of the Wallis and Futuna Territorial Assembly, H.E. Vetelino Nau, the Kivalu, Minister representing the King of Wallis Island, H.E. Setefano Hanisi, and the Sa’atula, Minister representing Futuna, H.E. Setefano Takaniko. In accordance with local protocol and custom, the Chairman then invited the President of the Territorial Assembly to make the first formal address to the meeting. President Nau welcomed all participants to the General Assembly and thanked them all for travelling so far to reach Wallis Island. He formally greeted the Pacific Games Council President, Executive Board and PGA delegates, as well as the host PGA (CTOS- WF), and the Wallis and Futuna 2013 Organising Committee (COWF2013). He especially thanked the Council for all of the assistance and advice it had provided to COWF2013. President Nau said it was a special joy to welcome everybody to the Territorial Assembly, the seat of government in Wallis and Futuna. He outlined the history of Wallis and Futuna and explained its current economic and social situation. He said hosting the 2013 Pacific Mini Games would be a very valuable exercise for the youth of Wallis and Futuna, many of whom were moving to New Caledonia in order to seek work opportunities. 3 Draft Minutes of the Pacific Games Council General Assembly: 18-19 October 2012 Territorial Assembly, Mata-Utu, Wallis Island, Wallis and Futuna President Nau thanked the Council for bringing the Pacific Mini Games to Wallis and Futuna, and the opportunities that this would provide to the youth of Wallis and Futuna. In closing he wished the delegates a fruitful meeting. In response, the Chairman thanked President Nau for honouring the meeting with his presence; for allowing the Council to meet in the Territorial Assembly building; and for explaining the history and current circumstances of Wallis and Futuna. He promised that the Council would come back in far greater numbers in 2013 for the Pacific Mini Games and that the athletes of the region would be delighted to compete in such an historic event for Wallis and Futuna. He thanked President Nau and the people of Wallis and Futuna for their hospitality and generosity. Turning to his own welcoming address, the Chairman formally welcomed the 22 PGAs to the meeting as well as two former Presidents of the Council, Sir John Dawanincura and Ricardo Blas. He also greeted a number of other dignitaries in attendance, namely the Crown Prince of Tonga, and the Ministers of Sport for Tahiti, Tonga, and Cook Islands. The Chairman then thanked the host PGA, the CTOS-WF, and the Organising Committee for the 2013 Pacific Mini Games, COWF2013, for organising such a wonderful traditional kava ceremony with the King of Wallis and the local high chiefs. It was a rare and special honour and the Council was very grateful and appreciative for the gesture. The Chairman said that the first few days in Wallis and Futuna and the Chefs de Mission briefing hosted by COWF2013 had shown that the 2013 Pacific Mini Games were in good hands. All PGAs could now look forward to a unique and special Games in 2013,and he paid tribute to the assistance provided by the Government of France, though the Prefet, by the Wallis and Futuna Territorial Assembly Government, and by the chiefs, traditional leaders, and people of Wallis and Futuna. Without their support, the CTOS-WF and COWF2013 could not succeed in their mission. The Chairman then referred to his opening address to the 2011 General Assembly and reiterated the continuing need to “add value” to the Pacific Games so that it retained both its culture and its standing as the premier multi-sports event in the Pacific region. The Chairman said the Council could not afford to allow a rival event to emerge, and so a dialogue with stakeholders was needed to ensure the Pacific Games continued to meet their needs. That would include more work on making sure Pacific Games events could be used as a qualification event for Olympic Games or World Championships. The Chairman noted that there were some international federations that were holding back on according this qualifying status to the Pacific Games because not all Oceania countries participated in the Pacific Games. The Council would work with ONOC to find ways and means of rectifying this problem, and he announced that John Tierney 4 Draft Minutes of the Pacific Games Council General Assembly: 18-19 October 2012 Territorial Assembly, Mata-Utu, Wallis Island, Wallis and Futuna (Treasurer) and Andrew Minogue (Executive Director) had been appointed by the Executive Board to engage in discussions with ONOC. Their brief would be to explore all available opportunities, which may entail larger nations like Australia and New Zealand participating in selected sports, but he stressed that they would have no authority to enter into binding agreements and the final decision on these matters would rest with the Council membership. The Chairman said that a lot of work had already been done towards improving the Pacific Games sports program through the mandatory post-Games Review, and numerous recommendations would be placed before the General Assembly on a range of matters affecting the future of the Pacific Games sports program. He expressed hope that these would meet with the approval of the membership.