Dick: PNG Games in Kokopo costly

By FRANKLIN KOLMA
THE East New Britain PNG Games organising committee appears to be more focused on making money rather than making it as affordable as possible for teams, Kila Dick says.
Dick, the National Capital District Commission acting deputy city and social services manager, made the comment at the presentation of the NCD Governor’s Cup Golf Challenge last Friday.
He said accommodation for the Games was too expensive and there was no clarity on what kind of figures teams travelling to Kokopo would be looking at.
“ENB organising committee chairman Sir Rabbie Namaliu has yet to come out clear if the host province is going to subsidise the cost of airfares and accommodation for all the provinces that are going to participate in the PNG Games,” Dick said.
He said one example of the excessive expenses that would be incurred by teams taking part was in the form of the venues available.
Using Team NCD as an example, Dick said the Kabaleo Teachers College gave him a bill for K700,000, while another school gave him a pricing of K200,000, both amounts being too costly just for accommodating Team NCD.
“Last year when Team NCD went to the Arafura Games in Darwin it only cost us A$30,000 (K50,000) for accommodation to house all our athletes and officials,” Dick said.
“Taking that into consideration, it is clear that this year’s Games are going to prove too costly for many of the provincial teams.”
Team NCD needs K1.5 million to send 500-plus athletes and officials to the 5th PNG Games in Kokopo and is appealing to business houses in the city to sponsor their team.