LIKE any other major event around the world, the 2023 Pacific Games is expected to leave behind long term benefits for local businesses in the Solomon Islands as part of the legacy benefits of hosting the biggest sporting event in the Pacific region.
Some of these include; Local workforce capacity building, Local business capacity building, Promotion of Solomon Islands for business opportunities, Business to business facilitation, Streamlining government processes among others.
“Thousands of people will be involved in the delivery of these Games and through that process they will get training, get experience, opportunity to grow within their careers and we know from experience that the capacity of the workforce greatly improves by their involvement in these sorts of events,” GOC Chief Executive Officer, Peter Stewart said.
He said that linked to capacity building for the local workforce is the opportunity to also build the capacity of businesses.
“Local businesses often need to upskill, buy new equipment, need to build relationships with other organizations so that they can form joint partnerships to be able to deliver the requirements that we need for global level events such as this. So, the capacity building of businesses will be significant.”
The Games, particularly through the presence it has throughout the pacific, gives an enormous opportunity for businesses in Solomon Islands to be promoted together with the promotion to external companies about coming to Solomon Islands and doing business.
Mr Stewart said through the relationships that the GOC developed during the Games and the approach that it takes, there will be a lot of business to business facilitation.
“We are working closely with the local Chamber of Commerce (SICCI) to ensure that businesses are talking to each other and working together to be able to provide the services that we need during the Games process.
“Because of the very huge involvement of Government, you tend to find this helps to streamline Government processes and give a level of understanding to Government Ministries about how they can support major projects of this nature and that therefore provides a benefit to businesses in the long term as well.
“When Solomon Islands successfully delivers the 2023 Pacific Games, as a country it will be able to showcase a range of venues it has which have the capacity to attract future major events and in turn be able to provide economic development to Solomon Islands and the businesses associated in the country,” Mr Stewart said.
The legacy benefits of the Sol2023 Pacific Games which will take place in Honiara from 19th November to 2nd December also include infrastructure improvements and opportunities and attraction of hosting future events.
GOC Media
