Former Sports Minister Jese Saukuru has called on Fiji’s representative to the Pacific Games Council to seek a formal review of the decision to award hosting rights for the 2031 Pacific Games to Tonga, citing concerns about Tonga’s ability to meet the financial demands of staging the regional event.
Saukuru made the appeal in Parliament yesterday during a motion moved by Iliesa Vanawalu, chairperson of the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, to debate the “Review Report on the 2022 Fiji Association of Sport and National Olympic Committee Annual Report”, which was tabled on November 27 last year. He urged Cathy Wong, who was elected president of the Fiji Association of Sport and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) last year, to engage formally with the Pacific Games Council on the matter.
“I respectfully suggest that the president of FASANOC, as Fiji’s representative to the Pacific Games Council, to formally engage with the council, to re-visit the 2031 hosting decision and explore whether Tonga remains in a position to host the games,” Saukuru told members of Parliament. He pointed to Samoa’s 2019 intervention—when Samoa stepped in after Tonga was unable to host—as a precedent for reconsidering arrangements if a host’s financial position has changed.
Saukuru’s intervention was the first of three points he raised while scrutinising FASANOC’s annual report. He argued that FASANOC should prioritise unlocking the potential of Fiji’s sporting talent by promoting institutional sustainability within national sporting bodies, a theme he presented as essential for longer-term performance and development. His third point framed sport as a significant economic driver globally, one that could deliver broad benefits to Fiji across tourism, infrastructure, and related sectors if effectively harnessed.
The parliamentary exchange places renewed attention on the Pacific Games hosting process and on FASANOC’s role in representing Fiji’s interests at regional sporting fora. Any formal request from Fiji to the Pacific Games Council to reassess the 2031 hosting decision would likely require deliberation among council members and an updated assessment of Tonga’s preparedness and resource capacity. It remains unclear whether FASANOC president Cathy Wong or the national Olympic committee will move to initiate such engagement following Saukuru’s remarks.
The debate on FASANOC’s 2022 annual report has given lawmakers an occasion to probe how the organisation balances regional obligations with domestic sporting priorities. Saukuru’s remarks signal parliamentary concern not only for the Pacific Games’ successful delivery but also for how regional commitments intersect with Fiji’s broader strategy to develop athletes and leverage sport for economic growth. Further responses from FASANOC or the Pacific Games Council are expected to clarify whether the 2031 hosting decision will be revisited.