Highlands bloc seek deferral
By KEVIN TEME
THE majority of the affiliated leagues in the highlands region from Enga, Western Highlands and Southern Highlands are calling for a deferral of the PNGRFL AGM.
They want the league’s financial reports for 2009 and this year to be provided before an annual general meeting can take place.
Gary Juffa, who claimed the PNGRFL presidency this year and previous president Albert Veratau are the two individuals the highlands league affiliates feel are answerable in this regard.
The 14 affiliated members from the highlands met on the weekend in Wabag to discuss the issues affecting the leagues around the country and have banded together demanding the condition to be met before the PNGRFL AGM can go as scheduled in Lae this Sunday.
Appointed spokesman and current Wabag rugby league president Sandis Tsaka said the presidents would seek a deferral if financial reports were not presented.
“Right now, we do not have the 2009-10 reports, so we will seek a deferral as it would be no use going for an AGM when we do not have the past and the present reports of the PNGRFL chairman as well as their financial reports 2009 and 2010,” Tsaka said.
He was speaking on behalf of the highlands bloc and said politics was also involved at the top PNGRFL hierarchy and needed to be stopped as it was only affecting the development of the code.
They also requested Sports Minister Philemon Embel to stay out of PNGRFL issues.
“We respect him (Embel) as the sports minister to come in and help but not to get really involved with the PNGRFL issues.
“If Minister Embel wants to support and develop the code, he has to let the PNGRFL run the show and not pressure the PNGRFL because it has been here before all else like the PNGNRL Bid,” the presidents said.
They said with politics and personal interests had tarnished rugby league and was dragging it down especially with the tussle for the president’s position becoming a public spectacle over the last 12 months.
Meanwhile, Juffa sympathised with affiliates in the highlands, agreeing that they be given more time to organise themselves for the AGM. He said it was important all afiliates were involved with a date early next year the best option.