Solomon Islands top female weightlifter Jenly Wini has questioned the government over the delay of awarding the athletes who have won medals during the Mini Pacific Games and the Commonwealth Games last year.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has promised the winning athletes to complement their achievements with awards but nothing is being delivered until now.
“Why is it taken so long for us to receive our awards as promised to us,” she asked.
“I am sure other athletes were also told by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs that the government will award them for our achievements like it was previously done.
“I will be leaving for training at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute in New Caledonia next week but still the Government hasn’t awarded me for my achievements as promised.
“The ministry could not even explain to us of the delay or even do something to show appreciation to those of us who made the country proud at the Pacific Games and Commonwealth Games.
“After all the hard work I have done for the country and become the first ever athlete to win at the Commonwealth I am disappointed for receiving false promises.
“The South Pacific Games is just next year and just imagine how all the athletes especially those of us promised by the government would feel and perform with the feeling that the government failed us.
“It will have a negative impact on the performance of the athletes,” she said.
Meanwhile, Jenly Wini will leave for New Caledonia next week to resume training at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute.
Wini is the only female weightlifter in the country who is amongst the top 10 ranking in Weightlifting in the Pacific.
She aims to maintain her title as the Pacific Games Gold Medallist in the 58kg category.
Attempts to get comments from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs were unsuccessful.
By CARLOS ARUAFU
