Tsaka thanks Sir Peter, Enga government

By PARKER TAMBUA
SANDIS Tsaka has thanked Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas and the provincial government for allowing him to juggle work with his role as the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) chairman.
The deputy provincial administrator made the acknowledgment following his re-election for a third straight term as chairman at the PNGRFL annual general meeting outside Port Moresby on Saturday.
“There’s somebody who won’t be happy about this (re-election), my boss Sir Peter,” Tsaka said after his swearing-in.
“Rugby league does not pay my salary but I have committed most of my time to the role over the last seven years.
“I am extremely grateful to Sir Peter and the Enga government for employing me while I work with rugby league for free.
“They have been supporting me since I took up this post.
“We, PNGRFL board members, are not paid to do this job. It is voluntary.
“While some may see it as a privilege, it is a huge responsibility that we don’t take lightly.”
Tsaka scored 36 votes while fellow chairmanship candidate Brown Murema recorded four. Two votes were recorded as informal out of 42 eligible voters. There were seven absentees at the meeting. He first took the office in 2014 and was re-elected in 2016. Each term is for three years.
Meanwhile, Gwaibo Mairi (Southern), Joe Tokam (Highlands), Robin Iveke (Northern) and Nicholas Lyons (New Guinea Islands) were elected as confederate directors.
Unlike his fellow directors, Lyons was not present at the meeting and will be sworn in at a later date.