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11/03/2026

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09/12/2025

RARA IN STRONG POSITION

.Meet the candidates for NOCSI's upcoming elections

BY ELTON LONARATHA JNR

THE President of the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI), Martin Rara, is in a strong position to retain his title in the upcoming election slated for this weekend at the Sport Legacy House.

During the elections, a new President, Vice President, Treasurer, and four ordinary members, including one female will be elected.

Following a thorough vetting process carried out since nominations closed, the NOCSI Secretary-General, Melinda Avosa, has finally released the names of the nominees for each position on Saturday.

Nominations were considered from ten National Federations (NFs), with one candidate nominated for the President, three candidates nominated for the Vice President, one candidate for Treasurer, and nine candidates competing to become the NOCSI Ordinary members.

Rara remains the sole nominee for the President role, while Paul Fanasia Junior, Adrian Tuhanuku, and Morris Maitaki are the nominees for the Vice President post.

Naoyuki Fujiyama is also the sole nominee for the Treasurer position.

The nine candidates nominated for the NOCSI ordinary members, which only has four spots, include Anthony Maelasi, Lionel Kiara, Moses Tepai, Michael Chan, Fay Indu Ghemu, Francina Ega, Wesley Taloga, Eric Chow, and Morris Maitaki.

With polling day just five days away, Rara is in a strong position to reclaim the title as President.

He has served as the NOCSI President for 11 years since he was elected to the role on June 29, 2014, to fill the vacancy left by the death of the previously elected president, the late Andrew Nori.

Rara has remained in the position since his initial election and was still serving as president up until this year, where he stood firm in the role alone as the sole nominee for the election set for Sunday, December 14, 2025.

SunSPORTS understands that a good number of nominations submitted to the NOCSI Board by NFs were not shortlisted.

According to Article 19 in the NOCSI Constitution, it stated that Officers and members of the NOCSI Executive Board shall be elected for a term of four years.

Elections will be held at an Annual General Assembly to fill vacancies on the Executive Board caused by their retirement of the Officers and Members at the expiry of their term of office.

Officers and Members retiring at the expiry of their term of office shall be eligible for re-election. However, no Officer shall be eligible for re-election to the same office for more than four full terms, unless otherwise decided by the members at the General Assembly by way of a resolution approved by at least 2/3 of the votes cast by the voting members and delegates present at the meeting.

Nomination for vacancies on the Executive Board shall be lodged with the Secretary General/ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on the prescribed form, at least 21 days prior to the date of the Annual General Assembly.

All nominations shall be proposed by the President, Secretary, or accredited delegates of financial member federation or by the Officers and members of the NOCSI Executive Board. The nominee shall countersign the nomination form to signify his or her consent to the nomination.

Any candidate for election or re-election shall be less than 70 years old on the date of the Elective General Assembly.

Meanwhile, the ten federations considered for nominations are as follows:

1. SI Sailing Federation
2. SI Body Building Federation
3. SI Rugby Federation
4. SI Volleyball Federation
5. SI Weightlifting Federation
6. SI Chess Federation
7. SI Golf Federation
8. SI Table Tennis Federation
9. SI Taekwondo Federation
10. SI Va’a Federation

📸….NOCSI President Martin Rara-PHOTO ELTON LONARATHA JNR