The Pacific Games Council says developments for the 2023 Solomon Island Pacific Games are progressing well with major agreements expected to be signed before the end of the year.
Andrew Minogue Photo: Supplied
The Pacific Games Council says developments for the 2023 Solomon Island Pacific Games are progressing well with major agreements expected to be signed before the end of the year.
It is the first time the Solomons will host the region's major sporting event.
Traditionally the four-yearly event is held in countries with previous experience and supposed first time hosts Tonga controversially belatedly pulled out of hosting next year's.
But Games Council CEO Andrew Minogue said they were working closely with Solomon Islands officials.
"We want to be comfortable that they are going to deliver the games on time and with what happened with Tonga pulling out, for the various reasons behind all that, we want to give a little bit more guidance to Solomon Islands just to make sure they stay on track and we don't get to a point where we did with Tonga where the government with two years to go said we can't do it."
Minogue said with the 2019 elections approaching, it was important to get a certain amount of work done.
"If we get all those structures in place over the next couple of months then the election process will unfold but things will still keep happening around the games which is what we want to see," he said.
Minogue said official agreements should be signed in December and the Hosting Authority will be able to meet for the first time after that.
"Agreement is about to be reached with the Republic of China, the Taiwanese Government, is the major donor partner for Solomon Islands and some designs for the main stadium complex have been done and there are consultations being done around that.
"We have been privy to it, the Games Council, so we have been able to see what's planned and it is very exciting."
