Firms pot K17,000 for snooker

INDUSTRIAL and heavy equipment dealers UMW Niugini and telecommunications company Telikom (PNG) Limited have thrown their support behind the Port Moresby and PNG Billiards and Snooker Association’s (PNGBSA) competitions with huge sponsorship packages.
Association president Roger Wilson said that UMW’s sponsorship would be aimed at supporting five of their tournaments this year while Telikom’s package would be directed towards two events on the snooker calendar.
Telikom’s total sponsorship of K7,000 will be broken down with K5,000 going towards the Pacific MMI Port Moresby corporate competition which is currently underway, while the balance of K2,000 will go to hosting the Coca-Cola women’s championships.
Telikom (PNG) Limited’s acting head of commercial Xavier Victor said the company’s support to billiards and snooker was in line with their belief to develop Papua New Guinea talents and were proud to get on board.
UMW gave K10,000 which will be divided equally for the running of the recently completed VSP POM open championships, Coca-Cola PNG women’s national snooker titles, Moni Plus POM Billiards open, PMMI Port Moresby handicap challenge and the BSP PNG men’s national snooker titles in September.
Company general manager Andrew Cooper said “one of the things UMW look for when giving support is good management” and the Billiards and Snooker associations possessed such sound management, therefore, it was pleased to assist.
The PMMI Port Moresby corporate snooker competition started in February that saw the first round completed last week while round two cued off this week with the finals scheduled for early June.
The Coca-Cola women’s national titles is the next big event on the snooker calendar, which will be held from May 13-16 in Port Moresby.
Wilson said the snooker fraternity in PNG was grateful for the support adding “the sport of billiards and snooker is growing in participation and popularity and with these two leading companies teaming up it is in line with our vision to promote the sport across the country”.
On behalf of the association president Peter Fong, POMBSA, the executives and players, Wilson thanked both organisations for their support towards billiards and snooker.