By PETER PUSAL
THE National Capital District Commission through the Yumi Lukautim Mosbi Project has committed K280,000 to launch the YLM Grassroots Sports Festival to target the youth of Port Moresby this holiday period.
The launching which took place at the Ela Beach hotel yesterday was attended by representatives from the NCDC, PNG Sports Foundation and donor agencies. The YLM Grassroots Sports Festival stands to be the single biggest event organised by the NCDC and will include young people from all suburbs in the city taking part in the sports of Rugby Union, Netball, Volleyball, Australian Rules Football and Boxing.
NCDC urban safety coordinator Rabura Aiga presented four cheques totalling K283422.11 to PNG Sports Foundation chairman Graham Osborne.
The amounts for each sport are volleyball K75,956.77; netball K84,294.00; boxing K73,030.50; and Australian Football League (PNG) K50,140.84.
The money given to each of the four sports shall be administered by the Sports Trust Fund. They will receive instructions on the release of funds for each code by the YLM project and PNG Sports Foundation.
All sports will commence their competitions with in the coming weeks and are scheduled to end in February next year. Rugby union received its funding of K94,000 in September but is also scheduled to complete its activities in February.
Aiga said that the aim of the Grassroots Sports Festival is to target youths and school-aged children giving them an opportunity to take part in sporting activities as a means of “crime diversion”.
In a statement Aiga said the reason for this festival was simply to enhance positive youth development through sports.
“With the help of sports, a youngster or a young adult starts thinking as a team player. He or she starts realising his or her potential, then starts taking pride in themselves, and his team and therefore his or her community.”
Present during the launching were NCDC sports coordinator Kila Dick, AFL PNG director Garry Breust and Sports Trust Fund board member Ken Harvey.
Also making a surprise appearance during the launching was PNG Power chief executive officer Patrick Mara who handed over a cheque for K25,000 to Osborne as part of a late payment towards PNG Rugby Union.