Works as per schedule

Preparations for 3rd Lusofonia Games

TEAM HERALD

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PANJIM: Works concerning the infrastructure for the 3rd Lusofonia Games to be held in Goa in November are going on as per the schedule, according to the Games Organising Committee (GOC) which met here, yesterday.

Sports Secretary Keshav Chandra, during his presentation which was attended by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar (president GOC), Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar (vice-president GOC), Chief Secretary B Vijayan (vice-president GOC), Shripad Naik, MP and GOA president (member GOC), Gurudat Bhakta, GOA secretary (member of GOC), Sandip Jacques (SAG’s ED), V M Prabhudesai (DSYA director), both members of GOC took stock of the progress which was as per the targeted projections.

Meanwhile, the ACOLOP delegation is expected to be in Goa from April 20-24 to take stock of the progress with their technical committee undertaking the inspection of the works in progress. They will hold discussions with both GOA (Goa Olympic Association), who have been allotted the Games on behalf of IOA as well as the GOC at the joint meeting.

Meanwhile, the Games Manual is yet to see the light of the day, even as staff has already been recruited for the Lusofonia Games Secretariat with a couple of Delhi babus being roped in as advisers. That apart, there is no news of the mascot and logo, which ought to have been released long ago. Financial projections for the organization of the games have already been made with the figure for the opening and closing ceremonies being raised substantially from the original plan.

Both, Shripad as well as Bhakta, who had resigned as president and member of the Lusofonia Games Sports Committee, following a sudden cancellation of their scheduled meeting by the then SAG’s ED Elvis Gomes, attended the GOC meeting yesterday. There was a feeling that their role was a subdued one given that they were appointed as members of the committee. As the Games have been allotted to GOA one expected they would be given appropriate designations commensurate with the positions they hold and being representatives of IOA.