A Christian leader in Papua New Guinea is calling for the organisers of the Pacific Games to revert to the words of the original national anthem after they were changed in the opening ceremony.
Photo: RNZ
The Catholic Archbishop of Port Moresby, John Ribat, says people were concerned when a word was added in the first line to include women, and lines about God were taken out.
He says it goes against the National Identity Act and the organisers should have consulted before they made the changes.
He says it should be put right at the closing ceremony this weekend.
"At the end of these games now we are asking that national anthem be sung again, including all the words rather than adding or like they have done. The call is for them to, at the end of the ceremony, to sing the original words."
Archbishop John Ribat says while organisers have not confirmed they will, he is confident they will go back to the traditional song.
