BY CHRIS ALEX
SOLOMON Islands National Institute of Sport (SINIS) High Performance Complex Centre Executive Director, Aaron Alsop, has announced that its Staff contracts have been extended to March this year.
This decision comes after the institute faced uncertainty regarding the future of its employees due to financial constraints.
SINIS plays a crucial role in the high-performance development program and training of athletes and coaches in the country. The commitment and technical expertise of the staff members, including coaches, trainers, and other support staff, are essential to the functioning of the institute and the success of the athletes it serves.
Speaking to RAW SPORTS in an exclusive interview today, SINIS Executive Director Aaron Alsop said that although the SINIS staff contracts have been extended to March, the staff have not been paid since January 3, 2024, with many are still waiting for their pay to be received.
“Dr. Jimmie, the National Hosting Authority [NHA Chair], announced last night at 6:30pm that the contracts for SINIS employees have been extended through March 31, 2024.
“This will then allow MHA [Ministry of Home Affairs] and NHA time to discuss future programs, funding, and plans for high-performance programs and SINIS into the future,” the Executive Director confirmed.
According to Mr Alsop, the NHA, MHA or National Sports Council (NSC) have not yet met with SINIS to discuss the High Performance program’s future.
“To date, no one from MHA, NHA, NSC, or the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands [NOCSI] has met with SINIS to review the achievements of the past few years, including the historical success of our Solomon athletes and coaches at the 2023 Pacific Games, or to discuss any plans for SINIS moving forward in 2024 and beyond.
“Currently, no set budget for programs to support athletes preparing for international events and the Olympics or Paralympics has been confirmed. We are seeking further clarification. But I can confirm that SINIS will now be able to operate from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday and from 8am to 12pm on Saturdays moving forward,” Alsop noted.
He added that he is contracted until March 31, 2024, and will continue to support NFs, NOCSI, and athletes to the best of his ability.
“I am personally still contracted until March 31, 2024. And I will continue in my role to support NFs and NOCSI and to provide support to the athletes for the duration of my contract to the best of my ability. “I am deeply passionate and committed to serving the needs of our sports, coaches, and athletes, as I have been for the past 5 years before we had SINIS.
“I am extremely disappointed in how our SINIS staff are being treated, especially after the loyalty, dedication, and service they have given to the country.
“I’m concerned with continued funding to support the SINIS High Performance program, and also for the staff families, but also for the athletes and coaches who are very concerned about what will happen without SINIS staff,” he said.
SINIS currently has 70 staff members delivering high-performance programs and services after the XVII Pacific Games in 2023. The institution has been instrumental over the past years in preparing athletes and coaches for the recent XVII Pacific Games 2023, which resulted in the best-ever performance by Team Solomon at any Pacific Games: they won 12 gold, 37 silver, and 31 bronze medals, achieving an overall tally of 80 and ranking seventh.
He later expressed his gratitude to the SINIS staff for their unwavering loyalty, hard work, and dedication over the past few years.
“I would like to say once again how proud I am of the incredible Staff at SINIS for their loyalty, hard work, and dedication over the past few years. Every single day, they stood side by side with the athletes and coaches as they prepared for the Sol2023 Games. “What the Staff at SINIS have achieved in such a short period of time in establishing SINIS and creating a world-standard program is unmatched in the Pacific and is something the country should be proud of.
“We thank all the partners and national federations who stood by us and supported us through this challenging period.
“And our team will continue to serve to the best of our abilities as coaches and athletes every day as we prepare for the Olympics and Paralympics in August 2024, the Mini Games in June 2025, and the Pacific Games in 2027,” said SINIS Executive Director.
