Kaupa plans to affiliate off-season leagues in North East

By JACK AMI
MORESBY North East MP and Housing and Urbanisation Minister John Kaupa plans to affiliate off-season rugby league competitions in his electorate to the Port Moresby Rugby League and Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League.
Kaupa said he wanted to legitimise the competitions in his electorate and give them a solid platform with the sport’s governing body requiring proper management and administrative practices of its affiliates.
He made the comments in light of the PNGRFL’s recent statement with regards to unsanctioned leagues and competitions.
Kaupa said in his tenure as the local MP, he would ensure that the two off-season leagues in Gordon and Bomana were affiliated to PRL and PNGRFL.
He said the competitions would initially attain associate member status to the Port Moresby rugby league.
The second step would be affiliating to the PNGRFL once the leagues had established administrations.
“I want to help the leagues become properly recognised by the governing body so they can benefit,” Kaupa said.
“I’m serious about the development of sports as a tool for human resource development in the community so my task is to help ensure this happens.
“I’m aiming to get some land for the competitions to be played on so they own their own like the PRL, POM Suburban and Moresby South competitions.
“The competitions owning their own play ground would be an advantage and that would also help the growth and smooth running of the off-season competitions in the electorate.
“The North East electorate has some 400,000 people in the electorate and there is a lot of potential here.”