The government has put forth a tax incentive to help strengthen Fiji’s bid to host the 2031 Pacific Games.

Minister of Finance Professor Biman Prasad announced during the 2024-2025 budget address in Parliament yesterday that a 200 per cent deduction will be allowable for donations over $10,000 towards the 2031 Pacific Games.

Minister for Youth and Sports Jese Saukuru said the tax incentive was part of the papers that they presented to cabinet with the vision that it would auger well for the needs that had to be met to host the Games.

“It’s good because it will attract more corporate sponsors to support our bid, to support the developments happening because Fiji has to put in place a lot of things,” he said.

Things like infrastructure and facilities which are important working factors that will be taken into consideration when the bids are assessed.

“Infrastructure development as all our facilities need to be ready and for 2031, we are hoping to for the first time we want to move the Games around. We don’t want it concentrated in Suva so if we can develop facilities in Labasa, we will do so and take some games to the North.

“We will do the same for the West, we want to upgrade the facilities at Churchill Park, that is part of the plan come 2031, we have to move the Games around because in Fiji we love sports and we want to take sports to them instead of just having in Suva,” Saukuru added.

Fiji expressed its interest in hosting the 2031 Pacific Games during the 2023 General Assembly at the Solomon Islands.

Vanuatu, Guam, American Samoa, Tonga and Papua New Guinea had also expressed their interest to host the Games.

Meanwhile, Professor Prasad also announced that similar to the Fijian Drua a 13-year tax holiday, duty concessions on imported sports equipment and 200 per cent tax deduction will be extended to Fiji National Rugby League.