Surfing with the disabled

PEOPLE living with disability in PNG will now take part in the sport of surfing in the near future as momentum builds up for negotiations between the PNGSA, Disable Surfing Association Australia (DSAA) and the Department of Community Development and Social Welfare.
President of the PNGSA Andrew Abel and his fellow board members Richard Farrell, Chey Scovell and Nick Studdy made this official announcement in Port Moresby yesterday.
The move is in line with the Government’s new disability policy which recently launched by the Minister for Community Development Social Welfare and Sports Dame Carol Kidu and her Department Secretary Joseph Klapat.
It is the first of its kind in PNG which will see disable persons taking part in the sport of surfing.
The idea was duplicated from DSAA, which was taken onboard by Andrew Abel.
Abel said disability surfing experts from Australia would be engaged to carry out training and awareness for the 10 surfing associations in the country and also provide training for volunteers intending to be part of disability surfing.
He added that able-bodied person were encouraged to help in terms of volunteering for the new sport that would be introduced in the country.
The sport is expected to be started next year after all negotiations on the processes of the sport and its equipment are made available by the surfing body in Australia.
Mr Abel also made it clear that for one disable person to take part in the sport he or she would need six helpers to oversee him or her while at sea and assist.
Meanwhile, Dame Carol commended PNGSA for the initiative to involve disabled persons in such sports in a first of its kind.