The New Zealand Olympic Committee is disappointed with progress in the residential area of the Delhi Commonwealth Games Village and has been offered an alternative apartment building after organisers struggled to prepare the original tower for habitation.
The New Zealand team has now moved into towers eight and nine and chef de mission Dave Currie says conditions are much improved but notes there is still considerable work to be done before the official opening on 23rd September.
While cleanliness had been a concern for us, further inspection has revealed some issues with plumbing, wiring, internet access and mobile phone coverage. We will now be advising sports that the accommodation is less than expected.
While our new tower may be close to being ready, there are large sections of the village that are not yet ready for athlete arrival.
New Zealand Olympic Committee President Mike Stanley and Secretary General Barry Maister have headed to Delhi today to be briefed first-hand.
The delays in finishing the village and venues are having a flow-on effect and the village security sweep has been delayed. Security officials from New Zealand and some other Commonwealth countries are monitoring progress closely.
The village is now undergoing a phased lockdown, said Currie. Our security advisors believe that progress remains acceptable at this stage. The next steps are for the village to be fully screened and handed over to the Organising Committee in time for the 23rd. Our security team will then be able to fully assess the process.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee is continuing to work closely with the New Zealand High Commission in Delhi and the New Zealand Government. They are continuing to liaise closely with India on security.
The government of India is taking security responsibility seriously but its work has been complicated by the last minute work required on the village.
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