EXCLUSIVE: HCC TERMINATES LAWSON TAMA LEASE WITH SIFF

The full Council of the Honiara City Council in its meeting this month has terminated the lease of Lawson Tama to the Solomon Islands Football Federation.

The termination will come into effect by January 1^st 2021, meaning that the HCC will take back the full control and ownership of the stadium.

The lease was extended for a further 30 years in 2015 and is to expire in 2045. However, the Council has decided against that and agreed to end the extension.

SBMOnline understands that under the lease, SIFF was to allow other sporting federations to also use the facilities, so do as major public events like church activities and other national events but the football federation’s reluctant to permit others to use the stadium has not gone well with the Council.

When contacted, director of sports and women division in the Honiara City Council, Fox Qwaina confirms that the full council has already made the decision and by end of this year the termination will come into effect.

He said they had been talking to SIFF about the matter and a formal communication of the full council’s decision will be conveyed to SIFF soon.

SBMOnline understands that SIFF and HCC agreed for the latter to lease Lawson Tama in 2000 to allow FIFA to improve the playing surface under the then FIFA Goal Project.

The project required that the land be leased to SIFF. Since then Lawson Tama had been improved and it’s been seen as the home of football in the country.

The latest decision by HCC is likely to severely affect SIFF’s preparation for the Pacific Games and its S. League competition.

News@SBMOnline2020