PNGRFL regional officers assist leagues prepare for AGM

By KEVIN TEME
THE four PNG Rugby Football League regional development officers are the backbone of the PNGRFL and despite no proper funding the offices still exist and will still run rugby league programmes as planned for 2012.
Former PNG Kumuls coach and PNGRFL general manager Joe Tokam said this when contacted last week to give an update on the leagues participating in the PNGRFL annual general meeting on Jan 28.
Tokam said the four development officers, who had their employment ceased as per the former PNGRFL interim board’s decision, said although funding for the regional offices was erratic they were still comitted.
“We have not received any letter from the former PNGRFL interim board stating that our employment has ceased.
“My three other colleagues from Northern region (Steve Malum), New Guinea Islands (Alois Tobata) and Southern ( Ripa Kalamo) are the backbone of the PNGRFL and we will not take sides on the current administration issues but rather work with them and help continue to develop the code in the country.
 “We will do what we do best for PNGRFL continue to help the development of league,” Tokam said.
Tokam, Kalamo, Tobata and Malum will now go ahead to help prepare the local leagues for the AGM this month.
Tokam said each league had to meet the requirements of the PNGRFL to attend the AGM.
“I will distribute the forms for the leagues, clubs and technical official registration forms by this week and hopefully have them all ready for the AGM.”
He said the deadline for the affiliation was Jan 20 eight days before the AGM.
“So far we have good feedback from the leagues through out the country towards the AGM this month,” Tokam said.
Some leagues have paid their K500 affiliation fees, an amount different from the one set by the former PNGRFL interim board which was K3,000 per association.
He said those leagues that paid K3,000 would be reimbursed the balance.
Meanwhile, the International Rugby Federation development officer Tas Bateri, representatives from the ARL and NRL will be at the AGM to talk about how best to use AusAid funding of K4 million for PNG leagues.