Organisers of the 2019 Pacific Games in Tonga have been told to build only what is necessary in a bid to keep event costs down.
The Kingdom beat Tahiti in a vote three years ago, despite not having secured the funding required to host the Games.
The Pacific Games Council met with officials in Nukualofa earlier this month, including the Prime Minister and Minister for Sport, to discuss progress towards 2019.
The Council's Executive Director, Andrew Minogue, says Tonga still has some facilities from hosting the Mini Games in 1989 and they've made it clear any new venues should be kept to a minumum.
"What we're looking at at the moment is just to make sure that the master-plan and what is built for the Games is affordable and is not excessive. We want to make sure that as many sports as possible can be compacted into existing venues or into new venues, so that we're not having to build too much. Whatever is built is understood here in Tonga as only being what's necessary for the Games, and nothing beyond that".
Andrew Minogue says Tonga is behind schedule but after viewing the organising committee's plans they're comfortable things can get back on track.
