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Sports Reporter
GOVERNEMENT is confident that the facilities for this year’s Region V Under-20 Youth Games will be ready for hand over to the Local Organising Committee by the September 30 deadline. Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Andrew Langa yesterday said Treasury has availed budgetary support of US$9m for the infrastructure which will be managed through the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe.

A further US$4.5m has been released for the operational budget that will cover the needs of the Local Organising Committee as it plans for the Games.
The organisers had put an initial budget of US$46m as they had proposed to build a new Games Village at NUST but they have since shelved the plans and are now renovating facilities at Hillside Teachers College to host the athletes and officials. This has slashed the budget down to US$16m.

“I am happy to tell the committee that there has been some tangible progress in terms of our state of preparedness for the hosting of the event this December.
“Progress has been made in the area of infrastructure rehabilitation and construction after the flighting of tenders.
“All the successful tenderers were handed over the sites on the 23rd of May and have this week begun working.

“I am certain that come September 30 this year, we will be handing over the facilities to the Local Organising Committee. I don’t want to say much about what we are getting from the private sector but I am happy to say that the private sector has also assisted they will be working on our swimming pool which requires about US$2.4m ,” said Langa.

The Zone V Under-20 Youth Games will be held in Bulawayo in December this year.
Initially 12 countries had confirmed their participation but three more from the Region have indicated their intentions to be part of the Games.
About 1 800 athletes and officials are expected to participate.