Process too slow

 THE slow release of funds under the “Go for Gold Programme” is hampering sporting bodies’ preparations for the 2015 Pacific Games, Athletics PNG President Tony Green says.

After the programme kicked off last year, there was a three month delay in the releasing of funds for 2013.

Allocations to sports for 2013 have already been approved based on submissions made last year.

However, the new procedure now in place is for sporting codes to lodge their requests for payments, with supporting documentation, to the PNG Sports Federation Olympic Committee (PNGSFOC), who screen the requests.

After the screening process, the documents are forwarded to the PNG Sports Foundation for cheques to be drawn. The cheques then go to finance department for counter signature.

“It’s a very time consuming and cumbersome process,” Green said. 

“People who give their time to sporting bodies as volunteer administrators want to spend those time helping athletes by productively carrying out programmes, not running around getting three quotations for every single payment that needs to be made.” 

Green said by the time the cheques come out, the figures have all changed and it gets very messy. 

“It’s simply not practical to do things this way. We need to have the flexibility to adapt to what’s happening on the ground and act immediately when a need arises. That means being able make payments on the spot,” he said. 

He said there is an old saying that goes: “If it aint broke, don’t fix it”. 

“So why change the procedure that was working so well last year?

“If you give an organisation the responsibility to carry out a task, you have to give them the resources, and this includes a budget. 

“People are expecting codes to deliver gold medals in 2015. But our hands are tied because we don’t have the funds at our disposal.

“We have a 2015 Pacific Games Authority working closely with the PNGSFOC who are responsible for preparing Team PNG.

“These are the agencies delivering the Games and the PNGSFOC should manage the Go for Gold Programme. 

“Time is passing us by and I urge the minister for sports to step in immediately and resolve this situation before it is too late.”