Gereka community celebrate festive season with games

THE Gereka community outside Port Moresby are celebrating the festive season with touch football and netball games.
Tournament director and community peace-maker Peter Keneke said volleyball was the dominant sport in the community’s festive celebrations but this year they decided to make changes by including touch and netball.
The games, which started on Friday will conclude this Saturday, with additional sporting activities such as the Gereka Iron Man contest.
Committee member Danly Mark said the Gereka community had experienced a peaceful Christmas season and would like the serenity to continue into the New Year.
Mark said there were a total of 36 teams taking part in touch — 18 men’s teams and 18 women’s teams — while 10 teams were taking part in the netball competition.
Mark told The National that the initiative was to ensure that youth were kept busy during the festive season.
“The main purpose is to get the youth together in social sporting activities and help to keep them in the village instead of letting them roam around outside and get into trouble,” Mark said.
“So far we have experienced a peaceful and enjoyable festive season and we want to keep it that way to the New Year.”
Mark said that the Minister for Sports and Moresby South MP Justin Tkatchenko had assured the Gereka community of his support for the games.