Ela Motors boosts PNG NRL bid

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By BURI GABI

ELA Motors has joined growing corporate family to support the PNG National Rugby League Bid team by donating four brand new vehicles (landcruiser station wagons) to assist the bid team in its endeavours to secure a  licence to enter the toughest NRL competition.
The K500,000 sponsorship package, announced yesterday at Kilakila Secondary School, was witnessed by the PNGNRL Bid chairman and Sports Minister Philemon Embel, deputy chairman NCD Governor Powes Parkop, Ela Motors chief executive officer and director David Purcell and the Bid manageress Bev Broughton.
The wagons will be used by rugby league development officers to travel to schools in the provinces to run rugby league programmes.
“Ela Motors has been a long-term supporter of rugby league in PNG and we see the support of this programme as an extension of our involvement,” Purcell said.
He added that no doubt the successful bid and the inclusion of the PNG-based NRL team would make wonders for PNG’s national sport, but importantly, would act as a rallying point for the people of PNG.
Embel commended Ela Motors for jumping on board to assist the Bid team.
He said the NRL was highly commercialised and the toughest competition in the world.
“The journey to enter the competition is tough, but it will be made possible through the support of business houses and citizens of this country,” Embel added.
The bid team also highlighted some of the issues discussed at a recent meeting with NRL CEO David Gallop.
They are;
*  The construction of the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium; 
* A dynamic junior development programme and proper accreditation of coaches, trainers and league administrators; and
* The immediate resolving of the PNGRFL leadership wrangle.
Embel said that it was the National Government initiative and it would  implement effective dialogues with business houses to meet the NRL’s bid criteria for it to enter the competition.
He also said for the bid to be successful, it would have a minimum of A$10 million, which is equivalent to K20 million.
Broughton clarified that each club in NRL would generate approximately A$20 million annually and PNG will be no exception.