SEA Games organizers face accommodation woes in Palembang

It seems organizers of the 26th Southeast Asian Games did not see it coming—problems in accommodation. Less than a week before the SEA Games formally open in Palembang, Indonesia, organizers are still scrambling for hotel rooms for thousands of VIPs, guests, media and tourists who are expected to crowd one of the two major hubs of the games. The problem has become extremely serious that business tycoon Tommy Winata, a local version of Ambassador Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco back home, has pledged three ships which could house 1,200 individuals. The games will be played for the first time here and the local organizers found themselves in a dilemma on how to accommodate everybody. Palembang is hosting 19 sports. The problem stems from the fact that there are only three five-star and four four-star hotels here. "It's like walking a tight rope," said Philippine deputy chief of mission Romeo Magat, who arrived in Jakarta Friday afternoon. Magat is also apprehensive about potential traffic jams and the possibility that the roads here would turn muddy once the rains fall. But he said the newly-constructed venues and athletes' village inside the 320-hectare property in the Jakabaring district are all ready. What could possibly compound the local organizers are the volunteers. Although there are more than enough volunteers, only a minority of them are conversant in English while most of them speak only Bahasa. The influx of delegates is expected on November 8, when the first batch of Filipino athletes and officials are also arriving. More than 270 Filipino athletes would be competing in Palembang while the 520 others will be in Jakarta and West Java. — JVP, GMA News