The Pacific Games are heading to Solomon Islands, but with gifts from China and a hospital with no paracetamol, not everyone is convinced
Young entrepreneur Jackie Molea-Chow says the Pacific Games will show off Solomon Islands to the world. (ABC News: Nick Sas )
Jackie Molea-Chow describes it as her early retirement plan.
Nestled on a ridge overlooking Solomon Islands' capital city Honiara, the 32-year-old entrepreneur is in the early stages of building her own poultry business.
And, she says, it's a plan inspired by one event: The Pacific Games.
"People eat eggs every day," she told the ABC, as 500 of her chickens clucked in the background.
"And with so many people coming into the country I thought I should start my own poultry farm.
"It's exciting and it's a good opportunity for [Solomon Islanders] to showcase our products to an international audience, on a much bigger scale."
Ms Molea-Chow says the games are a good opportunity, but she's also conflicted about the money being spent. (ABC News: Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong)
Described as a mini Olympics for the region, the Pacific Games — due to kick off in 100 days — will see 5,000 Pacific athletes from 24 countries compete in a range of sports.
It will also see thousands of spectators come to Honiara.
It is the biggest event Solomon Islands has ever hosted.
But in a similar debate seen in Australia over the Commonwealth Games, many Solomon Islanders are questioning whether the whole event has been worth the multi-million-dollar investment.
"We are focusing on the wrong priority at this time," opposition MP Peter Kenilorea Jr told the ABC.
Mr Kenilorea Jr says spending millions on sporting facilities in a developing nation is not the right move. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)
"When you compare it to the suffering that people are going through now [in Solomon Islands], it's just not worth it."
China's 'wonderful gift'
Jenly Wini is described as Solomon Islands' "iron lady".
The weightlifter has competed at two Olympics, and won the country's first-ever medal at a Commonwealth Games.
And at 40 years old, Wini sees the upcoming games as one of her proudest moments.
Jenly Wini says she's happy about the investment in sport, but would like to see better health facilities in her country. (ABC News: Nick Sas)
"I've always had to travel overseas to compete," she told the ABC.
"But this is the first time [for me] competing in front of all the citizens in Solomon Islands who support me and my family and friends."
Wini trains at the newly-opened Solomon Islands National Institute of Sport, a sparkling new facility built specifically in the lead-up to the games.
It is one of a string of investments the Solomon Islands government has made ahead of the games, coming in at a price tag of about $70 million.
Boxers train at the new Solomon Islands National Institute of Sport. (ABC News: Nick Sas)
But being a developing nation, the government needed outside help to be ready.
Enter China.
China Aid has built and funded the new $74 million national stadium, a facility Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare described as a "wonderful gift".
Australia has also chimed in, donating $17 million to support the games — a move that some have criticised as money to counter China's increasing activity in the country.
All-in-all it is estimated about $220 million will be donated to the country for the Games.
Yet, for some, the huge investment is seen as pulling money away from other development priorities.
Solomon Islands' new national stadium. (ABC News: Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong)
Outside the shiny new stadium the roads are littered with potholes, many local communities don't have running water and down the road at the country's national hospital doctors say they've run out of paracetamol.
This week the hospital ran out of bandages and had to postpone all elective surgery.
One doctor told the ABC hospital staff were exhausted and seeing the new stadium and other sports facilities emerge as they struggled to conduct basic medical treatment was like "rubbing salt into the wound".
'A vanity project'
Around Honiara, thoughts on the Pacific Games are mixed.
The ABC spoke to a number of residents waiting for treatment outside the national hospital. One, Benjamin Buga, who had been in and out of the hospital for a year, said there were "not enough" doctors and nurses.
Benjamin Buga said he would like to see more doctors and nurses at the hospital in Honiara. (ABC News: Nick Sas)
But he said he supported the event as he believed it would generate income for the country.
While another, Lilian Iwa, said a lot of money had been allocated to the Games.
But at her local clinic, in a regional province of Solomon Islands, they did not have basic drugs like paracetamol.
Lilian Iwa (left) said she wanted more money to go into health services. (ABC News: NIck Sas)
Opposition MP Peter Kenilorea Jr was worried the government had lost a sense of perspective.
"Solomon Islands, we love sports, that's very true," he said.
"But when you compare that to a hospital, to a clinic, which are critical infrastructure, to bridges, even roads, a stadium is really a vanity project."
'We are ready'
Christian Nieng, the director of the Pacific Games National Hosting Authority, doesn't see it that way.
Instead Mr Nieng describes it as a "big thing" that will "unite" the nation.
Christian Nieng says Solomon Islands will be ready to host the Games. (ABC News: Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong)
He said Solomon Islands was now only the fifth nation to host the Pacific Games and it had given the nation a goal to focus on and helped develop local skills.
"The Games has actually raised the standard of doing things, especially organising big events," he said.
"It has given the country the opportunity to make improvements in areas that we wouldn't otherwise haven't seen improvements on.
"For instance, in infrastructure, and also the level of training that our staff are getting in terms of organising similar events."
He said despite construction continuing on many facilities — and concerns over the impact of sporadic electricity supply in Honiara — the facilities would be ready.
"I am confident that the bits and pieces that we need to put together especially against critical activities are on track, and we will be ready to welcome our neighbours," he said.
"We are ready."
China has built and paid for the national stadium in Honiara. (ABC News: Amy Donaldson)
Back at the poultry farm, Ms Molea-Chow said she had conflicting feelings about the Games.
One part of her resented how much money was being put into sporting facilities when "health and education" were suffering.
The other part was pure excitement — and a hope that it could be the start of bigger things for her business and her country.
"As a Solomon Islander, I'm very proud to be for us to be hosting this," she said.
"I'm just happy to see other people from other countries come and enjoy the hospitality that we have to offer."
The Pacific program airs on the international ABC Australia service on Thursdays at 7pm, in Australia on the ABC News Channel on Thursdays at 9:30pm and on Fridays at 10:30am on ABC TV. It can also be seen on ABC iview.