GSIC and HCC MEET OVER PREPARATIONS FOR PACIFIC GAMES 2023
The Government Services Integration Committee (GSIC) met with officers in the Honiara City Council (HCC) on Tuesday 23 March to discuss their proposed work plan and activities for the upcoming Pacific Games 2023.
A Statement from the GSIC Secretariat in the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet stated that the Officers from the Honiara City Council who attended the meeting were from the Health, Youth Women and Sports, Works and Transport, Planning, Physical Planning, Law Enforcement, Prosecution and Legal, and Sports Development.
The Statement stated that Honiara City Council as the Host City has a lot of responsibility and work to assist the Government as it prepare for the Pacific Games 2023.
“As the Pacific Games 2023 is in Honiara, the Host City, it is important that the City must be well prepared and ready to host our visitors both from the region and our provinces. Our City must be cleaned and transformed with proper road system and signboards, cabbage collection, Toilet facilities, Health Services and other facilities in the City, “according to the GSIC Secretariat.
As Solomon Islands will receive thousands of visitors from the region, including from our provinces for the Games, it is also important that we have an effective and coordinated transport and road system in place, so that we could control and manage the movement of people, vehicles, pedestrian crossers, and sporting athletes from the City and to the Games site.
This is to avoid traffic congestion and overcrowding on our roads in the City that will be pose huge challenges for our sporting athletes during the Games.
“During the meeting this morning, officials discussed options for movements for vehicles, Transport and Road systems, improvement of our drainage system, Parking lots, installation of traffic lights, Pedestrian crossings, relocation of bus and taxi services, betel nut stalls and markets and HCC bye laws, during the Pacific Games”, according to the Pacific Games.
An option being discussed also is the proposed use of sea transport services to ferry the public from Port Cruz to Ranadi for the Games site, as a means to ease traffic congestions on the main road and highway systems”, according to GSIC statement.
The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force informed the meeting that Police will be working closely with HCC Law Enforcement to provide a safe and secured environment, as general security and law and order during the Games. In addition, Police also has its own operational plan in place and will be activated and executed during the games.
Meanwhile, the GSIC Secretariat in the Office of the Prime Minister Cabinet noted the progress and planning of work done by HCC to date, and encouraged them to continue on their work plan and commitment in undertaking the tasks and responsibilities assigned to them.
It also called on support and understanding of Honiara residents, public to support the work of the Government and HCC, as they embarked on their important tasks, and preparing us for the Games.
The meeting with HCC as a Key Stakeholder was held after all the consultation meetings were held with the eleven Ministerial Cluster groupings, to ensure HCC is well briefed, and supports the Government in its programme activities for the Pacific Games.
As HCC is in most of the Cluster Groups, it is important their roles and functions are clarified and aligned with the Government Ministries so they could effectively and discharge their responsibilities.
GCU Press