Prime Minister and Minister for the 2023 Pacific Games, Hon. Jeremiah Manele MP, officially handed over the ‘Sports Legacy Haus’ to the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI) in a memorable ceremony. The event, which was attended by Government Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, representatives from the National Hosting Authority, NOCSI, Government Officials, and Sports Federations, marked a significant milestone for sports in the country.
In his speech, Prime Minister Manele expressed his pride in the handover, stating, “I now have the honour, and privilege, in my capacity as Prime Minister and Minister for the 2023 Pacific Games, to officially hand over the Sports Legacy Haus to the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands through the Ministry of Home Affairs.”
Before this development, only three of the nearly thirty sports federations in Solomon Islands had their own offices. With this handover, all federations, including those outside the Olympic Sports category, will now have their own office spaces in the new facility.
Prime Minister Manele also provided clarity on the legal basis for the transfer, referencing section 35 of the Pacific Games 2023 Act 2017, which enables the transfer of the Pacific Games 2023 facilities to the NOCSI. He explained that the ownership and authority to distribute non-financial assets from the games rests with the National Hosting Authority.
The Prime Minister also took the opportunity to express gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its generous support in funding the procurement and upgrading of the facility. Saudi Arabia was the second-largest external contributor to the 2023 Pacific Games, after the People’s Republic of China, and was instrumental in the successful delivery of the event.
The Sports Legacy Haus is expected to be a lasting asset for Solomon Islands’ sports community, supporting the development of all federations and fostering a strong future for athletics in the nation.
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