Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi says he is "99 percent confident" Samoa will be awarded hosting rights for the 2019 Pacific Games.
The 2007 hosts are competing against Tahiti and Guam for the right to stage the event, after Tonga pulled out because of a lack of government support.
Tuilaepa told Don Wiseman Samoa was the first country to confirm their interest with the Pacific Games Council.
Samoa's PM Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Photo: RNZI Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia
Transcript
TUILAEPA SAILELE MALIELEGAOI: I had personally written to the (Pacific Games) Council to give that commitment as leader of the country. I asked that we would be interested to host the Pacific Games and of course I always hold sports as a major outlet for many of our unemployed youth, so sport is very dear to me and I want to save the Games. But then the council, in its wisdom, decided to go through the normal process to give every member the right to offer (their services), which is of course is right, is correct. I heard that now only three countries are interested but when putting those three countries together, inclusive of Samoa, I could say that we are ahead in the sense that our facilities are ok. You will remember that we hosted the Commonwealth Youth (Games) in 2015, December.
DON WISEMAN: You wouldn't have to spend any money?
TSM: We would not have to spend so much money. At the same time we have already signed an agreement with China for the upgrading of sports fields that need further upgrading and I could see that we need to look again at the sports field where athletics are held. And in any case we are far ahead of any other island in the Pacific, in terms of the suitability of its sports fields to host the Games.
DON WISEMAN: How confident then are you that it will be Samoa that's chosen over Tahiti or Guam?
TSM: I am 99 percent confident.
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