Kerema league appeals for funds

KEREMA Rugby League needs funding to take part in the PNG Rugby Football League’s South Confederation trails on July 30-31 at the National Football Stadium, Port Moresby.
President Emmanuel Morehari said he submitted a funding proposal to the Gulf Provincial Sports Trust (GPST) but did not get a positive response.
“We’ve got 14 days to look for funds to send our teams (U20s, men’s and women’s) to Moresby,” Morehari said.
“There is no funding from the sports trust which is unfortunate because we thought they would have money to support us.”
Morehari said that the GPST staged the Gulf Isou League Nines tournament in February in Kerema but that was the only event that was funded in the province.
“We know most of the funding they had went to our two teams the Gulf Isou in the Digicel Cup and Erema FC in FFPNG’s Premier League competition, but we also deserve something as well.
Morehari said despite the funding issues the teams were all preparing for the trials with the onus on him to source the funding in the time left.
“This event is PNGRFL-sanction event and is a chance for our players to make the regional squad.”
Morehari said he contacted GPST chief executive officer Lawrence Lahari on funding but was told that funds were not available.
Meanwhile, Southern Confederate director Gwaibo Mairi said he hoped Kerema would attend the trials as they were a league that had provided exciting talent.
He said he was also encouraged to see Kerema was fielding a women’s side and this was a plus for the women’s game as more affiliates promoted female participation.