Dr. Sikua Congratulates Government On Pacific Games Bill

Leader of the Independent Group in Parliament, Hon Derek Sikua has congratulated the Government for urgently putting together a bill for the 2023 Pacific Games which Solomon Islands won the bid to host in May this year.

Hon Sikua made the congratulatory remarks in Parliament this morning when contributing to a Special Adjournment Motion moved by the Prime Minister, Hon Manasseh Sogavare.

The special adjournment was requested to allow the Public Accounts Committee to enquire into the 2017 Budget and also allow the Bills and Legislation Committee to enquire into other bills to be tabled in Parliament at this session, including the 2023 Pacific Games Bill.

“I want to congratulate the Government for coming up with that bill very quickly because in the history of the (Pacific) Games, a lot of the host countries took six months, one year and some even two years, to come up with such a legislation.

“I’m glad that the Government has come up with the bill in just a matter of months after we won the bid, so I don’t want us to spend any more time in keeping the bill from being brought to Parliament until next year because a lot of issues hinge on it.

“I would like to request the Government to ensure the bill is dealt with right after the passage of the 2017 Budget.”

The bill provides the legal framework for Solomon Islands preparation to host the games.

Source: OPMC