The Solomon Islands Government has been urged to learn from Papua New Guinea and invest in sports facilities.
The chef in mission Ronald Talasasa Jr said their athletes can match many of those athletes from other Pacific nations if they had better sporting facilities, like Papua New Guinea.
"We can compete well just like our friends from other countries in the region, only if we have better facilities. Thank you Papua New Guinea for having some of the best facilities," he said during the Solomon Islands 37th Independence Anniversary at Gordons Secondary School in Port Moresby on Sunday.
The Solomon Islands team boss got a standing ovation from the crowd when he said that.
He said Team Solomon Islands comprised of best men (174) and women (91) in their respective disciplines in sports and represented their country of more than 500, 000 Solomon Islanders.
He said they were in PNG to compete with others and there were no regrets about that.
The boss of the Team Solomon Islands said they had enjoyed their stay with having access to some of the best sporting facilities in the country and wished they could have their own facilities as well.