The man who brought Vanuatu’s first South Pacific Mini Games

Jimmy Luna Tasong said he was the Head of the Vanuatu delegation to the South Pacific Games in Fiji in 1978 and in 1989 he led the South Pacific Mini Games delegation to Tonga.

He was representing the Prime Minister of Vanuatu at that time.

He said during that time he was the only ni-Vanuatu attending the South Pacific Games Council bidding for the South Pacific Mini Games to be hosted by Vanuatu in 1993. He led the bid against the two counties with the best facilities in the south Pacific, American Samoa and the Nauru.

“It was hard but in the end Vanuatu had made it and the nation had seen the first ever South Pacific Games in 1993,” Tasong said.

He recalled that during that time the Vanuatu Amateur Sports Federation was terminated by the Prime Minister. So, there was no one to receive the Games Flag.

At the same night Mr. Tasong said he appointed Mr. Joe Bomal Carlo to be the interim President of the Vanuatu Amateur Sports Federation who then received the Games flag on behalf of the Vanuatu Amateur Sports Federation and the Government of Vanuatu.

“Since then late Joe Bomal Carlo remained in that organization, promoted and continued working there until he passed away early last week,” Tasong said.

Mr. Tasong was also a member of the Delegation of 19 officials who went to New Caledonie to bid for the 2017 Pacific Mini Games.

Amongst the delegation there were three Government Ministers — Ham Lini Vanuaroroa, Marcellino Pipite and late Morkan Stevens who was Minister of Sports at that time.

Mr. Tasong said he was glad to be in the delegation and he is looking forward to the best organization by the organizing committee and the best performances by the Vanuatu athletes.

“This will surely prove that we are able to host the major games the Pacific Games in the near future.

“It is not easy to win the bid as it meant a lot of lobbying had to take place and one needed to spent time and money to be able to make it.

Therefore we ni-Vanuatu must prove our capability and to carry out our duties efficiently and effectively.”

Jimmy Luna Tasong is a teacher by profession. He had a very distinguished career in the country’s education before independence.

He became a tutor at the Vanuatu Teachers College and also a teacher at the British Secondary School now Malapoa College.

He later became an Assistant Education Officer at the British National Service.

His main duty was Pay Master. He went around paying the teachers’ salaries at the doorsteps of their work places.

That was because the teachers were not allowed to leave their workplaces during working hours. He worked in Central District No. 1 (now Malampa Province and Pentecost) and Northern District.

Jimmy Luna Tasong was the only Diploma Holder in Sports (major in Physical Education and Health) at that time.

He was transferred to work in the office of the late Prime Minister, Father Walter Lini as the Sports Secretary.

During those days there was no Department of Youth and Sports, it was only a section under the authority of the first ever Prime Minister after the Independence, Father Walter Lini. Tasong manned the office with the help of two officers, Jean Rolland who was responsible for Sports and Father John Bani who was responsible for the Youth Development and one secretary typist.