The Pan American Sports Organization decided to give Santo Domingo one last chance at hosting the 2003 Pan American Games. Local news reports say that the organizing of the games was conditioned to the strict fulfillment of the work plan submitted by the local organizing committee at the Panama City assembly meeting. "This decision obliges us to make up for the lost time, to leave behind us the delays and implement the plans. There will be changes" said Jose Joaquin Puello, chief local executive in charge of the games. According to the Listin Diario, Puello announced he will appoint a president of the Organizing Committee and will move up to the position of chairman of the board. He said this person will take over the organizational works, injecting new dynamism to the efforts. He told those who have opposed the hosting of the Games in the DR, "This is an ineludible commitment, there is no return," he said upon returning to Santo Domingo. Puello denied the PASO go ahead had been conditioned. The next PASO assembly will take place in Santo Domingo, 18-19 May. According to Hoy newspaper, the commission that visited Santo Domingo to ascertain the advances made towards the games criticized that a tender was not called to build the athletes village. It appears that the government handpicked the builders of the village that is estimated to cost RD$800 million. Of the total cost, according to the newspaper, the state will supposedly recover RD$320 million with the eventual sale of the apartments. The organization of the Games are expected to cost over RD$2,000 million, with thousands more to be invested in venues and the village. (22 January 2001)
