Sepik River festival set

 The Sepik River Crocodile Festival and Arts Society has been given K50,000 by the Ambunti-Drekirkir joint district planning and budget priority committee.

District administrator Otto Ganai gave the money to festival president Alois Mateos in a small ceremony to honour the  committee’s commitment made early this year to support the show.

He said the show, held annually in August in Ambunti, could promote eco-tourism and other spin-off benefits for the people.

He said Ambunti, often referred to as a “back-page” area, needed to undergo changes.

The organising committee has decided to change the name to the Sepik River Crocodile Festival and Arts Society.

Mateos said this came about after concerns raised by tourists who come to watch the show. 

The tourists complained that there were not enough artefacts on display for sale.

Mateos said the committee wanted to include artists.

But importantly, he said they wanted to make a change in the way of doing things and in the long run make the show a self-sustaining festival, instead of seeking sponsorship every year.