PRIME Minister Hon. Jeremiah Manele has reaffirmed the Solomon Islands Government’s commitment to sports development, declaring the Solomon Islands National Institute of Sport (SINIS) as “the home of high-performance sport and the future of sports in our country.”
Speaking during the official handover of SINIS from the National Hosting Authority (NHA) to the National Sports Council (NSC) this morning, the Prime Minister described the event as a defining moment for sports development in the Solomon Islands.
“SINIS is not just a building – it is a legacy. It represents our investment in our people and in the future of our sporting success,” he said.
He highlighted that SINIS is the second fully-fledged national sports institute in the Pacific, after Papua New Guinea, and credited its role in preparing Team Solomon for the 2023 Pacific Games, where the country achieved its best-ever performance.
The Prime Minister said the unprecedented medal haul was made possible because athletes had access to everything they needed under one roof — coaching, sports medicine, nutrition, and performance programs — all delivered through the SINIS facility.
He made it clear that the name SINIS must remain unchanged, stating that it reflects national pride and ownership.
The name was approved by the Cabinet and must be retained because it connects the institute to the country as a whole, and not to any single sporting body. “It belongs to the people,” he stressed.
He further outlined the government’s expectations as the NSC assumes responsibility for the facility. He said SINIS must remain under professional and independent leadership, its current programs must be sustained and expanded, and all existing staff must be retained for at least the next two years.
He also reaffirmed the importance of ensuring the facility remains accessible to the public and true to its intended legacy.
“Let us protect this legacy. Let us nurture it. And let us use it to raise future generations of champions,” the Prime Minister said.
PM Manele also acknowledged the foundational leadership of SINIS’s inaugural Executive Director, Mr. Aaron Alsop, and the contribution of Australian Volunteers International (AVI) in helping establish SINIS as a hub for high-performance sport in the Solomon Islands.
