UPNG dressed for Intervarsity Games

By KEVIN TEME
THE four months of fundraising done by the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) staff will see the team take part in the Intervarsity Games which starts tomorrow at the University of Goroka in Eastern Highlands.
Steamship Trading Company Ltd (STC) yesterday presented K10,000 to Team UPNG to assist with the purchase of uniforms.
All uniforms will have Steamships logo except for basketball.
Basketball was sponsored by local firm, Korona Consulting Ltd.
This has now brought the total to more than K150,000 raised through various activities and sponsorship from businesses and STC was one of the many that came on board to help support UPNG staff participate at the games.
STC’s chief operating officer (logistics), Tom Owen in presenting the dummy cheque to UPNG vice-chancellor Ross Hynes said UPNG was responsible for educating most professional men and women of PNG of whom most have went on to hold esteemed positions in both public and private sectors.
Owen said the company was also planning to introduce graduate training programme next year for university graduates and was expecting to see UPNG contributing some of those students.
“By assisting the staff of Team UPNG the company is showing its appreciation towards the tireless efforts that you put towards educating and grooming the future leaders of the country.”
Hynes, in receiving the cheque, said it was a step forward for  Steamships to introduce the graduate training programme next year. “I want to thank the Steamship Company for the support.
“This will be one of the biggest support we have received so far,” Hynes said.
UPNG is fielding a 112-member  team   playing 12 different sports to be at the UOG campus.
Hosts UOG will be fielding 200 athletes, while Unitech will field in 150 and intervarsity defending champions the University of natural Resources and Environment, Vudal, have not yet confirmed their number of athletes.
Catholic church-run Divine Word University in Madang will not be taking part due to most of their staffs attending the workshop on the academic audit report at their campus which runs on the same date as the intervarsity games.
Meanwhile, at a reception held to farewell team UPNG last Saturday, Hynes called on the athletes to exhibit a positive attitude in winning on and off the field and to portray good sportsmanship.