2023 Pacific Games

This will be the first time the Solomon Islands would host the Pacific Games.

With the Pacific Games in Honiara in November next year, the 2023 PNG Games and National championships will be more important in selecting the team than the 2022 Championships.

President Tony Green said the event was made possible through the support of PNG Air and through funding support of the World Athletics, PNG Olympic Committee, Prima Small goods, Hohola Apartments, National Sports Institute, PNG Sports Foundation and the HP Unit.

"Due to the combination of COVID-19 and the social unrest in November/December period, the progress of construction is badly affected, said Chairman of the Solomon Islands National Hosting Authority Jimmie Rodgers.

"With the current workforce we will not be able to complete the facilities on time for the games next year. The additional staff will ensure the facilities are completed in time for the Games."

The Australian-based administrator was CEO of the 2015 Pacific Games in Port Moresby and has held several other positions in Papua New Guinea and at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji.

He replaces Shalom Akao Waita, who was the first woman to lead a Pacific Games Organising Committee.

The former Solomon Islands netball and basketball representative was appointed in October but stood down earlier this year.

Deputy Prime Minister Manasseh Maelanga who is also the Minister for Home Affairs says the stadium venue is expected to cost more than $US28 million.

Mr Maelanga said the country's official preparations will kick off next month once the 2023 Pacific Games Bill is passed by parliament.

But he said a Taiwanese team has already been to look at the proposed sites for the games venues and have returned to Taipei to work out the full details of the project.

RNZI reports the Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare asked for a special adjournment in parliament to facilitate the trip and promised to back the bid with funding.

The Solomons effort is being run on the basis that the Games have eluded the country for far too long, with the last event, the 1982 Mini Games.

Asking for a special adjournment in parliament, he said a delegation would be travelling to Vanuatu to make the bid.

In recent months, the government revealed it was interested in bidding and promised to back the bid with funding.

Mr Sogavare says members of parliament will be part of this delegation.

The leader of the opposition Independent Group, Dr Derek Sikua, wished the government success in the bid.

He said the Pacific Games had eluded Solomon Islands for far too long, and said the last games, the Mini Games the country held in 1982, was too long ago.

Delana who is currently in Papua New Guinea for the Pacific Games was asked of Fiji's intention to bid for the 2023 games, 20-years after the last one held in Suva.

Delana said there was no decision on the matter yet.

“The Pacific Games Council committee has not said anything on that yet,” he said.

“We are ready to host. The next Pacific Games is Tonga, after that the PGC will decide on 2023.”

Delana said there was a lot to learn from the host nation as they had proven everybody wrong by having world-class facilities done in time for the games.