The Government Services Integration Committee (GSIC) Cluster Committee on Provincial Engagements, Advocacy and Awareness, and Sports Development for the Pacific Games 2023, met for the first time to develop their workplan today (3 February).
The committee met 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 Ministries that met this morning were from the Cluster Group 5 Ministries, which include the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening, Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Home Affairs, National Hosting Authority (NHA), Honiara City Council (HCC), and the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (OPMC).
The GSIC statement stated that these Ministries deal with connecting the Pacific Games 2023 throughout our nine provinces, through awareness and advocacy programmes, participation, as well as development of sports in our provinces and in the country as a whole.
“As the Pacific Games 2023 is in Honiara as the Host City, it is important that we connect, alert and inform our rural population in the villages, communities and provinces on what the Pacific Games meant to us, and how we as a country can embrace our national unity and rally behind Team Solomon’s, and Solomon Islands hosting of the Pacific Games”, according to the GSIC statement.
The statement explained that Solomon Islands would no doubt receive thousands of visitors from our provinces, and this calls for the need to inform our citizens of the games and the different activities that take place during the Games in Honiara.
Both the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening and Ministry of Rural Development informed the meeting of their plans to connect the Games with the nine provinces through their contacts in the provinces and raise the level of interests and awareness among our citizens and groups.
“Therefore, the importance of connecting with our nine provinces is important, so that they are also connected and embrace the Spirit of the Games in 2023”, the GSIC statement outlined.
The Ministry of Home Affairs also has an important task to play in preparation and development of Team Solomon with various stakeholders in the country, including other sporting bodies and organisations.
As the Host country, we must plan, scout, train and prepare well our athletes for the pacific Games 2023; we must start organizing sporting tournaments and competitions in Honiara, and the provinces.
“Our aim is to win 40 Gold Medals and to achieve that we must now start organizing tournaments, sporting events, identify and prepare well our athletes who will represent us in the Pacific Games”, added the statement from GSIC Secretariat.
“As the Host country, we must come on top of the Medal Tally. This is our challenge, however, we can only be able to achieve this, if we will all work together and start our preparatory work earlier”, added GSIC statement.
The Ministry of Home Affairs with other stakeholders, are also planning to host various sports tournaments in Honiara and in the provinces, leading up to the Pacific Games 2023.
Meanwhile, the GSIC Secretariat in the OPMC noted the good progress of work done to date, and plans in place in engaging with our Provincial Governments and Sports developments, and encouraged Ministries to continue on their work plans and commitments in undertaking the tasks and responsibilities assigned to them, as well as, to review options and planning, in preparation for Pacific Games 2023.
GSIC Secretariat also calls for support and understanding from all Provincial Governments, Leaders and stakeholders, including the Sporting Bodies and organizations, to support the work of these Government Ministries as they embarked on their important tasks.
The Cluster Group 5 Ministries are part of the eleven Cluster Groups where Ministries have been assigned to different functions and responsibilities to perform and support the Games organizing Committee, the National Hosting Authority, and the Government to successfully deliver the Pacific Games in 2023.
GCU Press