Tax payers will not have to pay for “Olympic House”-CISNOC

It will cost $1.4 million to build the new Headquarters for Cook Islands sports, “Olympic House” in Nikao and the good news is that it won’t cost the Cook Islands taxpayer a single dollar.
Rosie Blake, Secretary General of CISNOC, Cook Islands Sports National and Olympic Committee, told the Herald on Tuesday morning that at the Sports Symposium held 19-20 November 2010 the sports federations present saw and discussed the proposed new headquarters and unanimously agreed to the complex going ahead. All going well the new building is expected to open on 3 March 2012 to coincide with the 25th year of Cook Islands membership of IOC-International Olympic Committee.
Blake said recent concerns about the complex becoming a white elephant and the country having to pay for the building are unfounded. There were also concerns that the funds not be used to build a new building but instead be put to use on athlete development and assisting sports.
She said the starting point for the building, is an IOC commitment that all National Olympic Committees around the world, have a headquarters for sport.
According to Robert Graham of CISNOC, to assist the Cook Islands, the IOC since the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games has donated $100,000 to CISNOC. Since the 2008 Olympic Games the IOC has donated a further US$65,000. CISNOC already has under investment since 1985, a further $190,000.These funds are specifically for funding a new headquarters and cannot be used for other purposes.
CISNOC Treasurer Helen O’Meara said CISNOC had already been in discussion with the NZ government about helping to fund the balance needed. Donors and sponsors are expected to also assist. The cost of the building has been estimated at about $800,000 with cost of furniture, fittings and other services making up the $1.4 million.
There is a misconception said Blake that CISNOC will be using money intended for the sports federations, on the building.
Robert Graham explained that funding intended for athlete’s development will not be diverted. Athletes will continue to receive funding for their various programmes.
Blake said suggestions that CISNOC utilize existing space in the TSA –Telecom indoor Sports Arena, were fine if only CISNOC administrators were to be catered for. The fact is, she said, there are 26 active national sports federations who are all looking for some venue to conduct their administrative affairs which include; committee meetings, conferences, workshops, lectures, training sessions and hosting of overseas visitors. It is not possible to include the sports federations in the TSA along with CISNOC. There simply isn’t the room.
Graham said at the new HQ each sports federation would be able to utilize the conference rooms for meetings. Work stations with computers will be provided so the federations can process their paper work and each federation will have a set of lockable cabinets to store paper work, files, documents, minutes of meetings, financial records and even small amounts of cash. At present many committee members retain these records in their own homes.
The new HQ would be ideal for smaller federations, such as Boxing and Weightlifting which do not have the financial resources to set up and maintain their own facilities.
The building would certainly not be a white elephant said Blake as sports groups would be using the building on a daily basis.
The Herald put to the CISNOC reps present that while those involved with sports recognized the value of such an asset, questions could be asked why those voicing their concern s now did not raise these back in early 2009 when the whole process began at the site in Nikao with a soil turning and rock laying ceremony. It was widely reported on then being covered on TV News and in the media. Where were the dissenters then?
Blake said dissenters should not associate CISNOC with the running of the TSA as that building is under the management of a government agency, the Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC). Graham is disappointed that under CIIC management, the TSA is not realizing its full potential.
According to Blake the land leases for Olympic House have already been drawn up.
She said that in March 2011, CISNOC will present to government its five year strategic plan to 2016. The national federation strategic plans will feed into this plan. CISNOC’s plan will feed in to government’s 10 year strategic plan for sport. The final proposals for the new HQ will be ready by then.
Details of the current floor plans are set out here.
The new building will be on two levels. Graham says the floor plan is yet to be finalized taking into account the needs of the national federations.

By Charles Pitt

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