Local media were provided the opportunity to visit the 2023 Pacific Games Project site in East Honiara for a press conference, followed by a site visit to the newly constructed National Stadium on Friday (10th /03/23).
Major works on the Stadium have been completed with its membrane structure installed, the construction of asphalt concrete for its runway completed and the grasses on its natural turf growing well.
The National Stadium
Work is also progressing on the Tennis Court Center and Aquatic Center.
With concerns raised on the maintenance of the sports facilities after the games, Chairman of the National Hosting Authority (NHA) Dr. Jimmie Rodgers, reiterated that NHA will be handing over all facilities to the National Sports Council (NSC) for custodianship, for planning of use and maintenance after the Pacific Games in November.
“The Pacific Games Act in section 35 has already stated that NHA will put all facilities to NSC. We are legally required to do that as it is in the act.
So NSC will be the institution responsible for custodianship, for planning of use and maintenance of all the facilities, not just those at the stadiums project except for the SIFF stadium which will be the responsibility of SIFF”.
Dr. Rodgers said they are also working on building NSC to be better equipped to look after the facilities.
NHA Chairman Dr. Jimmie Rodgers
“ We are now working to review their act and by the end of this year we would like the act to be a refreshed act so that it can give them some sense of authority, possibly a statutory authority so that it can have its own finance allocations.
We are also working along with the Ministry of Home Affairs so that before the end of the year we have a new National Sports Council authority that can get resources directly as well as have the ability to raise its own funds,” he said.
NHA will be handing over the facilities to NSC in December, along with a budget to support sports development, operations and management of facilities including maintenance of the facilities for the next two years after the Pacific Games.
ENDS//
