Olympic Committee returns Dawanincura to top post

 By HENRY MORABANG
PNG Olympic Committee president Sir John Dawanincura was elected unopposed for another five-year term at the recent annual general meeting in Port Moresby.
Sir John, pictured, said with his re-election,  his priority was to oversee the delivery of PNGOC’s new strategic plan for 2016 to 2020 themed ‘to inspire and unite Papuan New Guineans through sporting excellence and success’.
Sir John is no stranger to the sporting scene as he was once the longest-serving general-secretaryof the then-PNG Sports Federation and  now PNGOC.
Sir John was replaced by current general-secretary Auvita Rapilla.
He returned to the PNGOC scene as executive member when he was elected as president of PNG Weightlifting Federation, and the PNGWF endorsed his nomination to run for presidency, challenging Sir Henry ToRobert.
He unseated Sir Henry and has been at the helm for the last five years.
He said since his election in June 2012, his total focus had been on last year’s Pacific Games.
With the phenomenal funding and support from the Government, their major goals were ‘to organise the biggest and best games ever, and for Team PNG to top the gold medal tally’.
As he said in his annual report, those goals were achieved, making last year’s Games ‘a truly historical moment in our sporting history’. Sir John said as president, it was paramount to ensure strong and stable leadership through the  PNGOC executive board, within the organisation with good governance, transparency and accountability.
Sir John’s other achievements include;

• Ensuring board involvement and approval on formulation of key policies and implementation by PNGOC management that contributed to the organisation’s vision, goals and objectives;
• ensuring PNGOC complied and conformed with its own constitution in governing the organisation;
• ensuring PNGOC served the interest of its members, especially with their targets for 2015; and
• Overseeing leadership of the 2015 Pacific Games Authority.