ID system for athletes discussed

A PROPER identification and inventory system will be created to register and keep track of the country’s elite athletes, Sports Minister Don Polye says.
“I will work with the relevant ministers, departments and state agencies and public sector to create a proper national identification and inventory of PNG population, not through centralised systems that we have seen so ineffective, but through effective provincial government and local level government system,” Polye said in parliament yesterday.
“Our sports people and athletes can be properly registered and identified for assistance where possible.
“It is my intention to seek not only government support for sport for short but mobilising innovative ways of financing sports as a significant cross-cutting relationship between the core implementers of the policy comprising, national sport federations, local level government, PNG Olympic Committee (PNGOC) and the government lead agency for sport, PNG Sports Foundation,” he said.
He said the financial support allocated to infrastructure and economic development should match equally important integral human development.
“Sports, skills and talents development in our young must be given uttermost priority at the socio-economic development level,” he said.
“We must change PNG’s leadership mindset to focus on human development more than the other aspects of development.
“I believe sports has the biggest opportunity to shape the thinking and behaviour (of human beings) from 6-18 years in life of a child.”