Tigers club says it has plans for field

 By JOHN PANGKATANA

THE Kone Tigers rugby league club management does exist.

And they have plans to re-develop their 10-hectare property into a proposed K10 million facility at Waigani in the National Capital District.

This augurs well for the Port Moresby Rugby Football League (POMRFL) and the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League, as they have been looking for an alternate venue since the closing of the Lloyd Robson Oval for major reconstruction works in preparation for the 2015 Pacific Games.

This is contrary to recent media reports by NCD Suburban Sports chairman Billy Aki that the Tigers management does not exist, and the Morata off-season competition which he heads, are the caretakers of the oval.

The Tigers management has come out to correct Aki’s comments by saying that they are well and truly in place and are no longer in limbo.

The management said they have only abstained from looking after the facility as per the court orders for the past six years.

The facility was allegedly sold fraudulently by a member of the former management to an Asian businessman in 2007. 

This led to a lengthy court battle where the Kone Tigers Club contested the legality of the sale.

On October 3, 2013, national court judge Gibbs Salika ruled in favour of the Kone Tigers club.    

The Tigers management committee headed by club president Leo Chris announced on Friday that since that ruling they have put in place a committee to manage the property and are now working to develop to be one of the city’s top rugby league venue.

“The court has issued orders for the title to be returned and our lawyer is working to pursue the order expediently through a civil case that we have filed,” he said.

“The club management thanks NCD Suburban Sports Association chairman Billy Aki for his contribution in our absence but now we are back and in full control,” Chris said.

Club secretary Paul McDonald (pictured) chimed in to say that in the best interests of the club they are happy to welcome Aki on board to work together with them, as most of their players come from the Morata and Waigani area. 

He also said the school which is also on the premises, has been asked to move as well despite their insistence that they have a lease on the property. 

“Ultimately it is a start of a new era and a new beginning for the Tigers and importantly we are here to ensure everything is done above board and transparently,” McDonald said.

Club vice-president Benson Upas said the club has a long history (47 years) dating back to 1967 and he hoped to bring back some of the lost glory with the restoration of the club house and added facilities. 

The other member of the committee is Vincent Kambuou.