Team Fiji is facing a shortfall of close to 100 thousand dollars just over a week out from the start of the Pacific Games in Port Moresby.
The CEO of the Fiji Olympic Committee Lorraine Mar says it costs 2.2 million Fiji dollars to send the country's 453-strong team to Papua New Guinea.
That cost is usually shared equally between the government, Fiji Olympic Committee and national sporting federations.
But Lorraine Mar says the government's contribution is less than what they had been hoping for.
"Government came up with $600,000 in cash. That left a shortfall of $100,000 so that's where we proposed to them that if they waive the departure tax for us, which is roughly $97,000, then that would cover their one-third share of the cost. We did make a point that we were travelling by
chartered flight. The departure tax for the charter flights wouldn't have been in their original budget in the first place because they wouldn't have known that there would be this charter flight".
Team Fiji is scheduled to depart for PNG next week and Lorraine Mar says if the government does not waive the fee, they will have to take money from other areas in order to cover the departure tax.
Secretary General and CEO of the Fiji Olympic Committee, Lorraine Mar. Photo: Fiji Olympic Committee
