Arafura committee tells teams to prepare

THE Arafura Planning Committee (APC-PNG) has expressed grave concern over the lack of attendance by sporting teams at the sports monthly meeting.
Chairman of APC-PNG Thomas Kahai said many codes were leaving it late in their preparations especially for their accommodation, travel and visas and passports which were essesntial requirements which the APC had no direct control over.
Kahai said his committee was calling on all national sports federations and provincial gold medal teams to attend the sports general meeting tomorrow at the PNG Sports Foundation VIP Room at 9am.
The Arafura Games will be held from May 7-14 in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
The 2011 Arafura Games have 13 sports on offer for PNG participation.
The sports and provincial gold medal winners who have submitted their expression of interest were Team NCD (athletics, basketball, boxing, cricket, table tennis, golf, hockey, indoor volleyball), PNG Defence Force, PNG Football Association U17 and U18 teams, swimming, table tennis, weightlifting, SHP basketball team and the Paralympics.
Kahai said that PNGSF under its strategic plan was focused on a “sports for development” theme and had endorsed provincial games gold medal winners in either team or individual sports to take part in Arafura Games as a pathway for promoting the sportingn potential in the provinces.
Howeve he warned the provincial gold medal winners, be it individual or team that they must comply with the APC-PNG standing requirements with their games preparation or they risked missing out completely.