Papua Governor Lukas Enembe emphasized that the Papua National Games (PON) XX venues, built at great expense, would become an investment for cementing Papua’s future as a sports province.

“This investment aims to develop the young generation in Papua to become athletes with a champion character and athletes that never give up to become the winner,” Governor Enembe stated as quoted from the official website of PB PON XX, Tuesday.

The governor conveyed the statement based on several questions posed on the use of Papua PON venues after the event concludes on October 15.

During the Papua PON, XX 31 arenas were used, with nine of them being prepared by the Central Government, 13 readied by the Papua provincial government, six venues by the district government, and three venues by the private sector.

Enembe affirmed that the PON XX infrastructure can be used for the development of Papuan sports.

Meanwhile, Acting Head of the Papua Province Sports and Youth Service, Alexander Kapisa, confirmed that his side had formed a management team tasked with the venues management, maintenance, and security after the PON and National Para Games (Peparnas).

“In order to maintain the venues built for PON and Peparnas, the Papua Sports and Youth Affairs Service had formed a venue management team,” Kapisa remarked.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and several ministers had earlier also expressed optimism that the former PON venues in Papua could continue to be used for the development of sports in the area.

Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Zainudin Amali also vowed to support the plan to hold national-level sports championships in Papua.

Source: Antara News