AGP Executive Report

Pacific Diplomacy & Sports: Solomon Islands and Japan renewed cooperation at the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau, with talks covering education, infrastructure, aviation and sports. OFC Football: The OFC U-19 Men’s Championship kicks off in Samoa, with the Solomon Islands in Group A against hosts Samoa, New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea—two finalists qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Pacific Games Accountability: Solomon Islands’ High Court ruled the National Hosting Authority acted without lawful authority in 2023 Pacific Games spending, after a special audit flagged serious procurement and record-keeping failures; the Pacific Games Council says it will seek legal advice on next steps. Local Sport & Fitness: NSC and NDFSI rescheduled the Play For Equity Open Day to September 5 for inclusive sport and recreation, with emphasis on women and girls with disabilities. Community Events: Tenaru St Joseph’s Catholic National Secondary School plans its 2026 Annual Bazaar on August 29, featuring food, entertainment, stalls and a raffle draw. Sports Talent Spotlight: Torika Boseiwaqa, 14, earned her first Fiji Mini Kulas call-up for the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship in Solomon Islands.

Olympic Pathway Funding: Australia’s PM Anthony Albanese announced a $15.6m, four-year push to help Pacific athletes and officials train and qualify for Brisbane 2032 and beyond, with support also for Tahiti 2027 and other major events. Youth Football Spotlight: The OFC U-19 Men’s Championship kicks off in Samoa, with hosts Samoa in Group A facing New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands—two finalists earn FIFA U-20 World Cup 2027 spots. Pacific Forum Tensions: Pacific Islands Forum unity faces strain as several leaders pull out, including Solomon Islands, while diplomatic friction and China-Taiwan pressure remain in the spotlight. Arts & Screen Funding: Screenrights named 2026 Cultural Fund recipients under “Learning Through Story,” backing story-led learning and animation projects across the region. Pacific Games Accountability: Solomon Islands’ 2023 Pacific Games spending continues to ripple—High Court findings and a special audit point to unlawful procurement and serious financial management failures, with calls for public answers and legal next steps. Sport for Inclusion: NSC and NDFSI rescheduled the Play For Equity Open Day to Sept 5 at SINIS, aiming for accessible, disability-inclusive sport with a focus on women and girls. Local Sports Moves: Former Solomon Islands captain Batram Suri joins Lautoka as head coach for the Extra Battle of the Giants, while Labasa brings in Solomon Island futsal international Jerry Sam as technical director. Community Events: St Joseph’s school annual bazaar is set for Saturday, with food, entertainment, stalls and fundraising.

Football & Youth Sport: The OFC U-19 Men’s Championship kicks off in Samoa with the Solomon Islands in Group A alongside hosts Samoa, New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea, with the top two set to qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2027. Regional Politics & Diplomacy: A third of Pacific Islands Forum leaders may miss the summit in Palau, with pullouts including Solomon Islands, while Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. says a Chinese envoy pushed to exclude Taiwan and warned of retaliation. Arts & Screen Culture: Screenrights announced 2026 Cultural Fund recipients under the Learning Through Story theme, supporting screen and learning projects across Australia and New Zealand. Solomon Islands Sport Governance: The High Court ruled the National Hosting Authority unlawfully bypassed public procurement safeguards for the 2023 Pacific Games, and Transparency Solomon Islands is calling for public answers over $118.29m spending without approved budgets. Community Sport & Inclusion: The NSC and NDFSI have rescheduled the Play For Equity Open Day to September 5 at SINIS, focusing on inclusive sport with extra emphasis on women and girls with disabilities. Local Football Coaching: Former Solomon Islands captain Batram Suri has been appointed head coach of Lautoka ahead of Fiji’s Extra Battle of the Giants tournament, while Labasa also brings in Solomon Island futsal international Jerry Sam as technical director.

Pacific Diplomacy: Palau is pushing back on Beijing pressure by inviting Taiwan to take part in Pacific Islands Forum events, with President Surangel Whipps Jr. saying Taiwan is a long-time development partner. Regional Politics: Australia’s PM Anthony Albanese will still attend the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau despite late leader no-shows, while Solomon Islands PM Matthew Wale is absent amid a no-confidence move. Brand & Sport: Trukai Industries signs rising rugby league star Cooper Bai as a two-year brand ambassador, linking the deal to youth sport and healthy living across PNG and Solomon Islands. Football Coaching Moves: Former Solomon Islands captain Batram Suri is appointed head coach for Lautoka ahead of the Extra Battle of the Giants tournament, while Fiji-based Solomon futsal international Jerry Sam joins Labasa as technical director. Pacific Games Fallout: Solomon Islands’ 2023 Pacific Games spending is under legal and public scrutiny after audits and a High Court ruling found unlawful procurement and weak financial controls, with calls for investigations and legal next steps. Community Sport Inclusion: NSC and NDFSI reschedule the Play For Equity Open Day to September 5 at SINIS, aiming for accessible, disability-inclusive sport with a focus on women and girls. Local Arts & Community: Tenaru St Joseph’s Catholic National Secondary School holds its 2026 Annual Bazaar on Saturday, 29 August, featuring food, entertainment, stalls, and a raffle to support student programs. Workplace Justice: Supreme Casino security guards win compensation after a nine-year unfair dismissal case, with the Trade Disputes Panel ordering pay for 24 workers.

Pacific Games Fallout: Solomon Islands’ High Court ruled the National Hosting Authority unlawfully bypassed public procurement safeguards for the 2023 Pacific Games, including a “Blanket Waiver” that let priority contracts skip competitive tendering; the Auditor General’s special audit also flagged serious procurement, financial control, and record-keeping failures, with findings now set to go to police for investigation. Accountability Push: Transparency Solomon Islands is demanding the Government and NHA publicly explain the audit findings, including questions over $118.29m spent without an approved budget and the valuation behind the $34m Sports Legacy House. Political Responsibility: Former PM Manasseh Sogavare accepted political responsibility for the audit shortcomings, while the Pacific Games Council says it will seek legal advice on next steps after the ruling. Sports & Community: In Fiji, former Solomon Islands captain Batram Suri has been appointed head coach of Lautoka for the Extra Battle of the Giants, while Solomon Islands futsal international Jerry Sam joins Labasa as technical director. Local Sport Inclusion: NSC and NDFSI are preparing a Play For Equity Open Day on Sept 5 at SINIS, with a focus on inclusive sport for people with disabilities, especially women and girls. Entertainment & Lifestyle: Trukai Industries signed rising rugby league star Cooper Bai as its new brand ambassador in a two-year partnership aimed at youth and healthy living. School Bazaar: Tenaru St Joseph’s Catholic National Secondary School will hold its 2026 annual bazaar on Saturday, Aug 29, featuring food, entertainment, stalls, and a raffle draw. Workplace Justice: Twenty-four former Supreme Casino security guards won a nine-year unfair dismissal case, with compensation ordered by the Trade Disputes Panel.

Brand & Sport: Trukai Industries has signed rising rugby league star Cooper Bai as its new two-year Brand Ambassador, positioning him as the next generation of PNG sporting talent and highlighting values of ambition, discipline and healthy living. Football Coaching: Former Solomon Islands national captain and coach Batram Suri has been appointed head coach of Lautoka ahead of Fiji’s Extra Battle of the Giants tournament, with the Blues chasing a fourth title. Futsal Development: Solomon Islands futsal international Jerry Sam is joining Labasa as technical director to support coach Alvin Chand, focusing on improving goal scoring for the B.O.G. Pacific Games Fallout: Solomon Islands’ 2023 Pacific Games spending is under renewed scrutiny after the High Court ruled the National Hosting Authority acted without lawful authority, while Transparency Solomon Islands and the Pacific Games Council push for public answers and legal next steps. Community & Sport Inclusion: The NSC and National Disability Forum Solomon Islands have rescheduled the Play For Equity Open Day to September 5 at SINIS, with a focus on inclusive sport for women and girls with disabilities. Entertainment & Community Events: Tenaru St Joseph’s Catholic National Secondary School’s 2026 Annual Bazaar is set for Saturday, 29 August, featuring food, entertainment, stalls and a raffle draw. Workplace Justice: Twenty-four former Supreme Casino security guards have won compensation after a nine-year unfair dismissal case.

Football Coaching Moves: Lautoka “Blues” get a boost for the Extra Battle of the Giants with former Solomon Islands captain/coach Batram Suri named head coach, as the team chases a fourth title. Futsal Development: Labasa bring in Solomon Islands futsal international Jerry Sam as technical director to help coach Alvin Chand sharpen goal-scoring ahead of the B.O.G (Sept 4-6, Ba). Pacific Games Accountability: The Solomon Islands High Court rules the National Hosting Authority acted without lawful authority in 2023 Pacific Games spending, striking down a “Blanket Waiver” that bypassed competitive tendering; Transparency Solomon Islands and others now demand public answers, with police set to investigate and legal advice sought by the Pacific Games Council. Sports & Inclusion: NSC and NDFSI reschedule the Play For Equity Open Day to Sept 5 at SINIS, with a focus on inclusive sport for people with disabilities, especially women and girls. Community Events: Tenaru St Joseph’s Catholic National Secondary School holds its 2026 Annual Bazaar on Saturday (Aug 29), featuring food, entertainment, stalls and a raffle draw. Workplace Justice: 24 former Supreme Casino security guards win a nine-year unfair dismissal case, ordered compensation after a Trade Disputes Panel ruling.

Pacific Games fallout: Solomon Islands High Court ruled the National Hosting Authority unlawfully bypassed public procurement safeguards in 2023 Games spending, including an unlawful “Blanket Waiver,” and questioned spending authority for the Sports Solomons Fund. Accountability push: Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) demanded the Government and NHA publicly address audit findings, including $118.29m spent without an approved budget, procurement breaches, weak records, and lack of competition—while the Pacific Games Council says it will seek legal advice on next steps. Sports justice win: After a nine-year fight, 24 former Supreme Casino security guards won an unfair dismissal case, with compensation ordered. Inclusive sport: NSC and National Disability Forum Solomon Islands rescheduled the Play For Equity Open Day to Sept 5 at SINIS, with a focus on women and girls with disabilities. Football on the rise: Central Coast FC face Auckland City FC in the OFC Men’s Champions League final in Fiji, chasing a first Solomon Islands continental title in 17 years. Community events: St Joseph’s school annual bazaar is set for Aug 29, with food, entertainment, stalls and a raffle draw. Entrepreneurship: YECSI board and secretariat paid a courtesy visit to new Minister John Maneniaru, seeking stronger partnership to support young entrepreneurs.

Pacific Games fallout: Solomon Islands’ High Court ruled the National Hosting Authority unlawfully bypassed public procurement safeguards for the 2023 Pacific Games, including an unlawful “Blanket Waiver,” and said the accountable officer lacked authority to spend from the Sports Solomons Fund. Accountability push: Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) is demanding the Government and NHA publicly address audit findings, including $118.29m spent without an approved budget and questions over the $34m Sports Legacy House valuation. Next legal steps: The Pacific Games Council says it will seek legal advice after the ruling, while the Auditor General says matters will be referred for investigation. Sporting spotlight: Central Coast FC is one win away from continental glory, facing Auckland City FC in the OFC Men’s Champions League final in Fiji after a run of three straight victories and a Rafa Lea’i hat-trick. Inclusive sport: NSC and NDFSI have rescheduled the Play For Equity Open Day to Sept 5 at SINIS, with a focus on women and girls with disabilities. Fitness outreach: NSC brought “Fitness Blo Iumi” testing to Guazaro residents in Isabel, using push-up, sit-up and Beep Test assessments. Entertainment & culture: British High Commissioner Paul Turner hosted Team Solomons athletes for Commonwealth Games recognition, praising personal bests and para-sport milestones. Arts memory: Tributes recall Barbara “Boo” Price’s role in women’s music and activism.

Pacific Games Accountability: Manasseh Sogavare says he accepts “political responsibility” for financial and administrative shortcomings flagged in the 2023 Pacific Games special audit, while Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) demands the Government and the National Hosting Authority (NHA) publicly explain findings tied to unlawful spending and procurement breaches, including $118.29m spent on two facilities without an approved budget and questions over the $34m Sports Legacy House valuation. Court Fallout: The High Court ruled the NHA acted without lawful authority, including an unlawful “blanket waiver” that bypassed competitive tendering, and the Pacific Games Council says it will seek legal advice on next steps. Sports & Community: Central Coast FC chase continental glory in the OFC Men’s Champions League final against Auckland City, while NSC and NDFSI plan an inclusive “Play For Equity” open day on Sept 5 at SINIS, and Solomon Islands Chess Federation gains NSC recognition to plug into high-performance pathways. Arts & Culture: Ecologist Cynthia Malone pushes to decolonize science, and St Joseph’s Tenaru Catholic school hosts its annual bazaar Saturday (Aug 29) with food, entertainment and raffles.

Pacific Games Accountability: Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) is demanding the Government publicly explain serious financial management and procurement failures flagged in the Auditor General’s special audit of the 2023 Pacific Games, after the High Court ruled the National Hosting Authority (NHA) acted without lawful authority and unlawfully bypassed competitive tendering. Court Fallout: The Pacific Games Council says it will seek legal advice on next steps following the ruling that spending breached the Public Financial Management Act 2013, with the audit also pointing to weak controls, poor records, limited competition, and due-diligence failures. OFC Football: Central Coast FC is one win away from history, facing defending champions Auckland City FC in the OFC Men’s Champions League final in Ba, Fiji, after three straight victories and a dramatic extra-time semi-final where Rafa Lea’i scored all three goals. Inclusive Sport: The NSC and National Disability Forum Solomon Islands are gearing up for a Play For Equity Open Day at SINIS on Saturday, September 5, with a focus on women and girls with disabilities. Community Events: Tenaru St Joseph’s Catholic National Secondary School holds its 2026 Annual Bazaar on Saturday, 29 August, featuring food, entertainment, stalls, and a raffle draw. Fitness Outreach: NSC’s “Fitness Blo Iumi” programme reached Guazaro residents in Isabel with practical fitness testing and health awareness. Workplace Justice: A nine-year unfair dismissal case ends for 24 former Supreme Casino security guards, with compensation ordered after a Trade Disputes Panel ruling.

Commonwealth Games celebrations: British High Commissioner Paul Turner hosted Team Solomons athletes for afternoon tea in Honiara, praising personal bests across athletics, boxing, judo, swimming and weightlifting/para powerlifting, with special tribute to veteran Jenly Tegu Wini and para powerlifter Moffet Tolomae. Inclusive sport push: The NSC and NDFSI have rescheduled the Play for Equity Open Day to Saturday, September 5 at SINIS, with a focus on women and girls with disabilities plus broader inclusive pathways. Pacific Games legal fallout: Solomon Islands’ High Court ruled the NHA acted without lawful authority in spending 2023 Pacific Games public money, after a special audit flagged serious procurement, financial control and record-keeping failures; the Pacific Games Council says it will seek legal advice on next steps. Football spotlight: Central Coast FC take on defending champions Auckland City FC in the OFC Men’s Champions League final in Fiji on Saturday, aiming to become the first Solomon Islands club to lift the trophy in 17 years. Community events & sport development: St Joseph’s school annual bazaar is set for Saturday, 29 August, while SINIS continues grassroots athletics training and beach volleyball trials ahead of Oceania events.

Casino workers’ justice: 24 former security guards dismissed in 2017 by Super Entertainment Centre Ltd (Supreme Casino, Pacific Crown Hotel, Kukum) have finally won an unfair dismissal case after a nine-year fight. The Trade Disputes Panel ordered compensation covering notice pay, unpaid annual leave, repatriation, three months’ salary, and a 7% NPF contribution (minus any redundancy already received). Pacific Games legal fallout: Solomon Islands’ High Court ruled the National Hosting Authority unlawfully bypassed public procurement safeguards and lacked authority to spend public money on the 2023 Pacific Games. The Pacific Games Council says it will seek legal advice on next steps after the ruling. Audit sparks investigations: A special audit into Games spending flagged serious waste, weak controls, bypassed competition, poor evaluations, missing due diligence, conflict-of-interest failures, and customs duty exemption misuse—now set to be referred for police investigation. Sports spotlight: Central Coast FC made Solomon Islands club history by reaching the OFC Men’s Champions League final, and will face Auckland City FC in Fiji on Saturday. Community & sport: St Joseph’s school annual bazaar is set for Saturday, while NSC fitness outreach in Guazaro introduced residents to fitness testing and “Fitness Blo Iumi.” Peacebuilding funding: Government launched a US$3m Peacebuilding Fund Programme (April 2026–April 2028) to support peace, cohesion, and decentralisation across all nine provinces.

High Court & Governance: Solomon Islands’ High Court ruled the National Hosting Authority (NHA) acted without lawful authority when it spent public money on the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara, saying the NHA’s “Blanket Waiver” unlawfully let priority contracts bypass competitive tendering and breached the Public Financial Management Act. Audit & Accountability: The outgoing Auditor-General David Teika Dennis’ special audit flagged serious procurement, financial control, and record-keeping failures, including weak controls, missing due diligence, conflict-of-interest gaps, misuse of customs duty exemptions, and poor budget control over SBD$222.4m in sampled procurements—now set for police investigation. Community Events: St Joseph’s Tenaru Catholic National Secondary School will hold its 2026 Annual Bazaar on Saturday 29 August (10am–4pm) with food, entertainment, stalls, and a raffle draw to support student programs. Football (OFC): Central Coast FC are one win away from history, facing Auckland City FC in the OFC Men’s Champions League final in Fiji on Saturday after three straight victories and a dramatic extra-time semi-final. Sport Development: Beach volleyball trials continue at SINIS ahead of the Oceania Championship, while World Athletics Kids’ Athletics training is equipping teachers and coaches to build grassroots athletics in schools. Safeguarding in Sport: Pacific Mini Games safeguarding work recorded 11 cases last year in Palau, with most victims girls and women.

OFC Champions League: Central Coast FC are one win away from history, facing defending champions Auckland City FC in the OFC Men’s Champions League final in Ba, Fiji, after a run that includes a 3-2 extra-time semi-final thriller over Vanuatu’s Galaxy FC with Rafa Lea’i scoring all three goals. Sports & Community: Beach volleyball trials continue at SINIS as Solomon Islands Volleyball Federation prepares squads for the Oceania Beach Volleyball Championship in Rarotonga, with selection building toward next year’s Pacific Games. Grassroots Athletics: World Athletics Kids’ Athletics Train the Trainer wrapped at SINIS, with teachers and coaches now taking the programme into schools like Burns Creek Adventist School to grow early athletics participation. Chess Development: The Solomon Islands Chess Federation gained National Sports Council recognition, unlocking access to NSC facilities and a clearer pathway into high-performance squads. Pacific Games Accountability: A special audit into the 2023 Pacific Games found serious procurement and financial-control failures by the National Hosting Authority, with Solomon Islands Police set to investigate audit findings and the High Court previously ruling NHA spending unlawful. Peacebuilding Funding: Government launched a US$3M Peacebuilding Fund Programme (April 2026–April 2028) to support peace, cohesion, inclusive governance and decentralisation across all nine provinces.

OFC Champions League: Central Coast FC are one match from making history, taking on defending champions Auckland City FC in Saturday’s OFC Men’s Champions League final in Ba, Fiji, after a run that includes a dramatic extra-time semi-final win over Vanuatu’s Galaxy FC with Rafa Lea’i scoring all three goals. More OFC drama: Earlier in the knockout build-up, the semi-final line-up is set—Auckland City vs Rewa and Galaxy vs Central Coast—with both games live and free on FIFA+ via DAZN. Sports development: Solomon Islands athletics gets a boost as teachers and coaches complete the World Athletics Kids’ Athletics Train the Trainer course at SINIS, with practical sessions in local schools to strengthen grassroots participation. Beach volleyball prep: Final beach volleyball trials are underway at SINIS ahead of the Oceania Beach Volleyball Championship in Rarotonga, with squads expected to be trimmed over the next six weeks. Governance & accountability: A special audit into the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara flags serious waste and weak procurement controls by the National Hosting Authority, and findings are being referred to Solomon Islands Police for investigation after a High Court ruling that NHA spending was unlawful. Peacebuilding: The Solomon Islands Government launches a US$3M Peacebuilding Fund Programme (April 2026–April 2028) to support peace, social cohesion, inclusive governance and decentralisation across all nine provinces.