THE SOLOMON Games being hosted in capital Honiara was to a greater extent a litmus test on the city’s capability to host the 2023 Pacific Games.
We are six years away from hosting the major regional games for the first time. We should know that time would not be on our side.
This is the sixth edition of the Solomon Games which is supposed to be held after two years and we have three more games before 2023.
The tradition was for the Games to be hosted by each province however, Renbel Province’s right to host this year’s Games was denied and instead Honiara City Council took that role.
It could be a blessing in disguise that Honiara was to host this year’s Games as it reveals the need for us to prepare ahead for 2023.
Sports administrators, athletes, supporters, leaders and the sports fans have seen and experienced what was lacking in organising the two weeks’ Games.
We all agree that we are still below par in terms of infrastructure and organisation of such major tournaments.
However we’ve set the bar higher for ourselves in convincing Pacific regional countries to support us for the 2023 Pacific Games. Thus we must set our focus to 2023 and start working towards hosting a better and bigger Pacific Games.
The onus is now on us to identify venues and build the needed infrastructure before 2023.
Perhaps hosting the next three Solomon Games in Honiara would be good so that we continually test our capabilities in terms of organising and administering all sports and testing our sports facilities before 2023.
So far only three provinces namely Makira Ulawa, Malaita and Central provinces have hosted the Solomon Games.
Should satellite venues be also mounted in the provinces other than in Honiara for the Pacific Games comes 2023? If we think this is good then preparations should start right way in terms of infrastructure.
Otherwise, let us begin with the physical change on the ground and that is to concentrate on identifying venues in Honiara and parts of Guadalcanal and start building the needed sports infrastructure now.
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