Gulf of talent

 By JACK AMI

 THE Papua New Guinea Games, the country’s only national multi-sport event, will continue to be dominated by two or three provinces as long as provincial administrations are left to identify, develop and maintain their athletes on their own.

The PNG Sports Foundation, the state body charged with development of sports around the country, is taking steps to ensure that provinces can benefit directly from their expertise, knowledge and hopefully funding, in order to set up sustainable programmes to have a sound base from which to send teams to the biennial PNG Games.

The foundation signed a memorandum of understanding with the Gulf provincial administration to partner with the province in sports development.

With a little over six months to this year’s PNG Games, which will be held in Kimbe, West New Britain, Gulf is the first province to sign an agreement with the PNGSF to develop, expose and promote their untapped talent pool.

Gulf, like the majority of provinces who compete at the PNG Games, needs the help. The province did not win a medal at the last PNG Games in Lae despite sending a contingent of more than 100 athletes. 

The MoU was signed by PNGSF chief executive officer Peter Tsiamalili Jr and Gulf provincial administrator Marc Orisuru Avai, with both men declaring the partnership signified a new era for sports in the province and the first step by the foundation to reach out and help provinces.

The agreement will see the foundation assist the province’s administration in technical and sports management areas with the aim of developing talent from the rural communities. Tsiamalili encouraged Avai and his sports office to create the platform and get the province on the right track.

“This is a partnership between PNGSF and Gulf regarding the type of programmes and activities to materialise and action by all the stakeholders,” Tsiamalili said.

“We will give our support to ensure that these programmes are delivered to Gulf as the first to sign this MoU and later to other provinces.

“We are confident that initially we will deliver our programmes in the province with the resources.”

Tsiamalili said this would create the pathway for Gulf athletes to return to the province.

He said from his experience as a sportsman, he believed Gulf had more talent and potential than what it was showing at national competitions. 

“Get it right and set the platform to find and develop the talent right here in the province.”