Mini games host broadcast details due out today

5 August: A decision on who will be offered the tender for host broadcasting at the Pacific Mini Games is expected to be known by today.

PMG 2009 organising committee marketing & sponsorship director Tui Short said on Monday that they were still going through the tender process, and the bids were to be in the hands of the government’s tender committee by Tuesday.

Short said that a closed tender process was put in place with four entities requested to put in bids.

He said the reason for the closed tender is because of the time factor.

“The financial secretary [Sholan Ivaiti] has allowed us to go through a closed tender process,” said Short.

It is understood that the four entities are connected with TV1, MaiTV – both from New Zealand – Fiji TV and Cook Islands Television.

Games chief executive Mac Mokoroa said that the tender process for the host broadcast has to comply with financial guidelines as laid down by the ministry of finance and economic management (MFEM).

And with the games company charged with organising the games being a crown entity, the money paid in and out of the company – in effect, public money – is to be accounted for under Cook Islands legislation.

A host broadcast arrangement between Pacific Mini Games 2009 Ltd and Australian Media Consultants was put on hold recently, and was one of the points of concern raised by Pacific Games Council president Vidhya Lakhan in March this year.

However, an audit report concluded that a memorandum of understanding between PMG 2009 and AM Consultants did not have board approval when it was signed last year.

The deal with the host broadcaster to deliver live/delayed television and radio coverage for the Pacific Mini Games, via the set-up of an international broadcast centre (IBC), was worth around $500,000. - Moana Moeka’a