Karo raps PNG Games feedback

WITH less than two months to go, the 2009 PNG Games Host Organising Committee (HOC) and the games secretariat are expressing grave concern over the provinces failure to confirm their participation.
According to information obtained by The National yesterday afternoon, only six provinces have confirmed their numerical entry for participation, while 14 are yet to confirm before the deadline next Friday.
PNG Games event manageress Mary Karo yesterday confirmed that Bougainville, East New Britain, Oro, Milne Bay, Central and Western province’s houses were in order, while NCD had assured the HOC that their numerical entry would be submitted tomorrow.
Mrs Karo clarified that a lot of competitions were winding up in most of the centres around the country so the provinces should have an idea of who is coming and who is not.
The PNG Games secretariat and the HOC extended the deadline to Sept 11 to allow the lagging provinces to submit their numerical entries as well as pay the registration fee of K5,000 which entitles them to receive some assistance from the PNG Games Council to help with travel to and from.
Mrs Karo said the games council and the secretariat wanted as many of the provinces to attend as this level of games were purposely being held to expose the latent talents of future PNG athletes and stars.
Mrs Karo said she had a good team who understood the importance and also the urgency of the games, which made it easier to push for things before the deadline.
“We also have good support from the NCD Governor Powes Parkop, who injected K500,000 into the games planning and vowed to put more in if needed,”  she said.
“That showed how committed the governor is in his endeavours to make it happen for the grassroots,” she said.  
The event manageress was even grateful for the assistance from prominent corporate citizen Sir Brian Bell, a stalwart in the support of sporting activities both locally and internationally.Early this week, Sir Brian donated K100,000 towards the staging of the PNG Games in Port Moresby from Nov 18-29.
PNG Sports Foundation commissioner responsible for PNG Games Ni Cragnolini confirmed that only six provinces have confirmed to take part, while the rest are yet to submit formal numerical entries.
She applauded the appointment of Mrs Karo, who has been moving things forward and was slowly picking up in preparation for the upcoming games.
Meanwhile, Team Oro athletics are furious that the Oro sports council and management had imposed a hefty levy fee of K400.
This concern was highlighted in the management and code directors and managers meeting at the Oro Guest House last Thursday.
The sporting codes of soccer, touch football, basketball, netball, volleyball, softball, cricket, taekwondo, boxing, league 9s, rugby 7s, darts, inclusive sports and athletics were disappointed with the fees.
It will cost between K150,000 and K250.000 for more than 310 athletes and officials to participate in the PNG Games in Port Moresby.