By Taromane Martin
TASK Force 2023 Chairman Mr Gabriel Suri says the media can play a vital role in promoting the Honiara 2023 Pacific Games as a green game.
Mr Suri said they are planning on marketing and promoting the Honiara as a green city when the country hosts the games.
He said if the country is to promote 2023 as a green games then the government and Honiara City Council must implement laws to ban plastics and the disposal of rubbish in the CBD.
“There are many people who don’t care about the welfare of others on the streets. We need to control and eliminate these things,” Suri said.
“We’ll be having visitors to our country and we don’t want them to be harmed. People who are mentally sick needs to be placed in institutions.
“They cannot be allowed to just roam our streets. That is why these issues need to be controlled and help us in promoting a green games.
“This is where I think media can play a huge role to promote the games as a green games. Raise issues about squatting, raise issues about the pot holes, and raise issues against the rubbish even about the anti-social behaviours.
“There’s going to be a lot of benefits if we are successful in promoting Solomon Islands as a green games.
“If we are successful in promoting Honiara City as a green games it will be a huge step for our country in terms of tourism,” the Chairman said.
Meanwhile Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr George Palua said their Ministry fully support Task Force 2023 in promoting the 2023 Pacific Games as green.
“The Ministry is really behind the idea of the Task Force to have and promote the 2023 Pacific Games as a Green Games,” he said.
“It’s about time our country take ourselves away from where we are now.
“From being known as a dirty city to a clean city so it can also boost our tourism because people overseas are looking for good places to visit and spend their holidays.
“Not only dirty but also attitudes. Attitudes such as stealing from tourists as reported in the papers is not good and should not be happening.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs has the HCC under its control in terms of regulations and therefore we will be working with them to make sure our games carry that green vibe,” he adds.
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