Makerupu ready for sporting fest

THE people of Makerupu village in Central province are preparing for their 13th annual sporting festival to coincide with their festive celebrations this month. It will be week-long event starting on Dec 26.
National programme manager for youth sports Scott Vavine said yesterday the concept of having the games was derived back in 1996 from the Arafura Games to build the sub-clans and families through sports and also address the social issues encountered by the people.
The main sports to be played include soccer and netball.
A lot of other villages around the area will also be organising similar sporting festivals around the same time and will also feature awareness campaigns against HIV/AIDS through the sporting medium.
Vavine added that apart from the games organised at the village level the Southern region would be gearing up for the Southern Region rugby 9s and the Southern Regional soccer tournament this month.
He said the Southern region soccer and rugby 9s tournaments had been deferred to this month due to NCD hosting the PNG Games.
Vavine added that he had been in contact with NCD Governor Powes Parkop on the organising of the tournaments.