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Sports |
Foundation set
Emphasis is on
sports as peace, development tools
By DAVID KAPI and AAP
THE establishment of the PNG Sports Foundation makes it possible
for PNG to implement the United Nations view that sport has the
potential as a tool for development and peace, the foundationís
Deputy Chairperson said recently.
Ni Cragnolini said the PNGSF makes it possible to involve
sports in achieving PNG national goads as stipulated in the
National Goals and Directive Principle and as and as outlined in
this Government’s Medium Term Development Strategy.
Sports is also now a vehicle in the Department of Community
Development’s Integral Community Development Policy, she said.
All these have come about as a result of the extensive review of
sports administration and operations in 2002 which set the base
for the Way Forward Policy of 2004 which in turn led to the
Sports Foundation Act of 2006, she said.
“Under the Way Forward Policy, sports can integrate into
international, national and community development aspirations
without losing its core function to develop sports itself,”
Cragnolini said.
“We have always held the view that sport is an international
language that brings individuals and communities together,
highlighting commonalities and bridging cultural and ethnic
divides.
“We recognise that sports can be used as a vehicle for national
pride and unity, for health and education and for peace and
community development programs.
“In the past implementing these ideals has not been possible
because there has been no definitive policy framework, no
sustainable system or process in place to aspire to these higher
ideals while at the same time ensuring that our core functions
of developing sports were maintained and sustained.”
The key lies in networking and developing partnership with all
developing partnership with all development stake holders while
at the same time stepping up transparent and accountable
management and improving efficiency and delivery, she said.
Cragnolini said: ìRecognising the crucial need to avoid
over-burdening the sports system with development activities,
the emphasis is on forming and strengthening partnerships and
linkages between the sporting community and other key
development stakeholders,î she said.
Towards that end the PNGSF is focusing on developing
partnerships between all levels of Government, the sports
community, the private sector and the public.
Recognising the important need to raise and manage sports for
sporting activities. This is a corporate body and its role is so
strict even the Foundation cannot draw on its funds if it does
not meet the stated objectives and strategies of the PNGSF,
Cragnolini said.
ìThe corporate sector will feature prominently in sports
financing and substantial rewards for such participation will be
standardized under revisions to the law,î she said.
Parliament passed the PNG Sports Foundation Act in 2006 which
dissolved the former PNG Sports Commission and amalgamated
certain function of the PNG Sports Federation under the new
Foundation. The Foundation reports to a board chaired by
businessman Graeme Osborne with long time sports administrator
John Kambuou as its Acting Executive Director.
Sports will now be employed to back the Governmentís Medium Term
Development Strategy and the Integrated Community Development
Policy, she said. ìWe no longer want to talk only about sports
development. We want to talk also about sports role in
development,î she said.
To that extent, for the first time sports has been drawn into
the aid picture. PNGSF has already entered into a PNG Sport for
Development Initiative with AusAID.
Sports is now focused on areas such as gender equality, law and
order, HIV/AIDS, health and education. Administration and
governance of sports is being revised, restructed and refocused.
 
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