Referees await dues for services

REFEREES who officiated in last year’s National Capital District women’s soccer tournament of the NCD Governor’s Cup are still waiting their payments for their services.
A senior referee recognised by FIFA, the PNG Football Association and the National Soccer League Martin Mark said they had brought themselves down from a senior level to officiate at such matches was “quite distressing”.
He added that many of the referees depended on the games for their livelihoods because it was the only source of their income and the delay in the payments had affected them.
Mark claimed that from a proforma invoice statement from the Port Moresby Soccer Referees Association a total of K5,050 was well over due for payment for the 12 referees who officiated during the games from Jan 15-18.
“The governor needs to sit with us and settle the issue as we have already made seven appointments to see him and five other appointments to see his executive officer this year with numerous other correspondences and meeting attempts,” Mark said.
He also added that NCD Governor Powes Parkop, who had committed his time to see them at a meeting last month, never eventuated.
Mark has appealed to Parkop to come up with an arrangement before the Treasury Department closes for the year.  It is believed that a total of K30,000 was deposited into the account of tournament director Billy Yaki.
However, Mark alleged that the funds had been misused and nothing had been appropriated to the referees ever since.
He is also appealing to Parkop that if NCDC was looking at holding such tournaments in the future, he should involve his own office to administer the activities.