Listin Diario reports that meetings to give the final go ahead to the city of Santo Domingo to host the July 2003 Pan American Games will be held in this capital city on Tuesday and Wednesday. The newspaper reports that already Pan American Sports Organization commissioners Felipe Muñoz (Mexico) and Jorge Herrera (Colombia) have arrived. Expected today are Michael Fennell (Jamaica), Jorge Nery Carvajal (Costa Rica) and Antonio Rodríguez (Argentina, Richard Potterkin (St. Lucia). They will review advances made by the Dominican organizing committee. Reportedly, the main issue the DR needs the commissioners to approve is the change to local financing of the construction of the athletes’ village. Originally, a Spanish company with Spanish financing would have built the village. The village will now go up with Dominican financing and Dominican builders. During their stay, the commissioners will visit several of the venues where the games will take place and will meet with President Hipólito Mejía who has reiterated he accepts the challenge of the Games. The commissioners will prepare a report to be presented at the General Assembly of the Panamerican Sports Organization on 19 January in Panama City.
