GOVERNMENT through the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will soon deliver a SBD$1.9 million Boxing Hall for Shortland Islands Boxers.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Mr. Jeffrey Deve Sade recently sanctioned MHA ‘s project stakeholder consultation team to meet Western Provincial Secretary and Sports development officer in Gizo on 27th July 2021.
The purpose of the consultation involved buying-in for sense of ownership by WPG, and to seek WPG gives three areas of support as enabling services for successful delivery of two projects (a) a change shower block at Noro Tuna Park Sports facility & (b) the boxing hall at Korovou in Shortland. the three enabling services desired from Western Provincial Government involve (1) That WPG through office of its Provincial Secretary pledged to facilitate a consent for the project. (2) that the Provincial Secretary indicated working in partnership with the Ministry, allowing its sports development officer and technical officers on the ground in Shortland to render necessary supports to MHA project agile team as and when is needed. (3) that WPG administration indicated willingness to integrate with the ministry in preparing to facilitate a ground-breaking ceremony for the project.
These provincial Sports facilities will enable competency and readiness of our provincial sporting athletes bound for 2023 Pacific Games. MHA through National Sports Council strategizes in delivering sporting facilities to the provinces following talent-based identification. For example, most of our Boxers have been hailing from Choiseul and Shortlands, therefore, a boxing hall delivered to that end will enhance boxing talents in years ahead and those to represent the country in Team Solomon in 2023 Pacific Games.
Although the facility (boxing hall) to build may seem costly in figures, however, practical reckoning needs reality. That is, the project budget planning reflected that the specific projects to execute in remote and distant project sites such as that at Korovou in Shortland will definitely inflate. Huge portion of cost estimates will involve freighting of materials and machinery to the project site.