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Burzil Dube

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE revised Zimbabwe National Youth Games risk starting on a shoestring budget after all provinces failed to meet the July 21 deadline to pay 50 percent of their affiliation fees to the local organising committee Loc.

The last date of payment is August 21.

The affiliation fees have been pegged at $30 per person, down from the suggested $150, and the money is meant to go towards the hosting of the games.

These include processing of accreditation information and cards, making advance bookings and even buying of food and games’ equipment among others.

“At the moment no province has paid their 50 percent and we would like to remind them to do so,” said Loc chief executive officer Burzil Dube.

A budget of $2 million has been set for the games and the money is supposed to come from affiliation fees, the corporate world and from a government grant. The government grant is not enough to meet the budgetary requirements.

Some provinces have previously been disqualified from the games due to failure to pay affiliation fees.

The biggest concern is that host provinces have also failed to properly account for the money received, triggering fears of embezzlement by some unscrupulous officials.

“As Matabeleland North province, all our things are done above board. We have an independent audit committee that will do a thorough post mortem of the games and every single cent will be accounted for. We don’t only hold pre-Games meetings but we will have post games meetings solely for purposes of getting a report from our audit committee, which is manned by highly qualified personnel,” said Dube.

He reiterated calls he made at the official launch last Friday for provinces to live true to their promise and remit the affiliation fees.

“These games must be a success; we don’t want to embarrass our national patron (President Mugabe) by hosting substandard games, so it is incumbent upon all of us to pull in the same direction and I know we will do it,” said Dube.

President Mugabe ordered a downward review of affiliation fees after the Loc had initially demanded $150 per person.

@skhumoyo2000