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2009 World Games still on: Chiu
NORM:
The Kaohsiung deputy mayor says that the bidding process adopted by the city's organizing committee is in line with what other cities have done in the past
By Flora Wang
STAFF REPORTER
Tuesday, Nov 27, 2007, Page 2
Deputy Kaohsiung Mayor Chiu Tai-san (邱太三) said yesterday that the city government had not received any information from the International World Games Association's (IWGA) executive committee to the effect that it could revoke the city's right to host the 2009 World Games.
Approached for comment, Chiu said the city government and IWGA held regular meetings.
"Both sides have close and frequent communications," Chiu said, adding that the city government was following the schedule for the construction of the necessary venues and the recruitment and training of personnel.
Chiu's remarks were in response to a report in the Chinese-language China Times yesterday, in which an unidentified source at the Kaohsiung Organizing Committee (KOC) was quoted as saying that IWGA executive committee president Ron Froehlich had informed the Kaohsiung committee CEO Chi Cheng (紀政) that the IWGA would not have allowed Kaohsiung to host the 2009 World Games if it had known that the city government would insist on handling bids related to the games as per the Government Procurement Act (採購法).
The source was quoted as saying that Froehlich was concerned that the complicated bidding procedure could put the city behind schedule in its preparations for the games.
IWGA could change the host city for the 2009 World Games to other locations -- including China and Germany -- if Kaohsiung's preparations remain delayed in February.
The story also quoted Chi as saying that Froehlich, who is scheduled to arrive in Taiwan today, would address local media on the matter.
Chiu said yesterday that it is an "international norm" for countries to handle bids as per national procurement regulations.
The approach we have taken for procurement, Chiu said, abides by WTO regulations.
"Duisburg, Germany, which hosted the 2005 World Games, also followed German procurement law when considering bids related to the games," he said.
Chiu said the city's preparations for the games were "under control," adding that the KOC would increase the level of communication with IWGA on the matter.
Referring to the China Times story as a "miscommunication," Chiu called on the KOC to prevent personnel from leaking information to the media.
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