Letters & Opinions

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Sunday, February 7, 2010

Parkop is not involved in Gordons Touch Competition

THE COMMENTARY in the Sunday Chronicle issue of the 24th January 2010 made unfounded claims that the Gordons Touch Competition is being supported by NCD Governor, Powes Parkop.

As a long time resident of Gordons, I would like to clarify a few misleading quotes from the commentary.
Firstly for the writer to depict his headline in bold "Parkop Cup games transforming youths at Jabiru Drive" is an insult to the hardworking, under resourced, sports loving executives of Gordons Touch Competition headed by Mr William Yogomin. For the record GTRL is the oldest touch footy off season competition in NCD.

It started in 1980 by well respected people like the current PEA President Mr Michael Malabag, Levao Mai, David Silovo, Paul Kotni and Nelson Moide to name a few. The idea back then was to engage youths in worthwhile activities and at the same time keep the boys fit to play for the then Air Niugini Rugby League Club in the PRL Competition. GTR has produced players such as Jack Harry, Nelson Moide, David Mune, Michael Marum, Aquila Emil, Ben Uru, Tuksy Karu and soccer legend Steven Mune and also current AFL youngster Donald Barry. The competition had taught them not only to excel in their chosen sport, but to be better people in their family, community and country.

In its 30 years of existence, the GTR has always been self-reliant. It has gone through its mandatory rough periods, like being dormant in between these years due to community related law and order problems. But like in the true spirit of its first inhabitants who graced the grassy Gordons Estate in the early 1960's, GTR has stood the test of time and rose through the sheer hard work of people like the Yogomin brothers and their predecessors.

They have drummed the message to the clubs to change their mind set and attitudes and be self reliant, law abiding, sports loving citizens in an compact multi-lingual community like Gordons and Erima. Transformation has already began with clubs exchanging weekends footy balls for spades, forks, grass knives and wheelbarrows on weekdays, cleaning their respective streets, fixing roads and trimming grass in the self help projects to raise funds. Petty crimes at shop fronts, drunken brawls and harassment of women and children have dropped since the competition started in late November 2009. Change starts from within and the residents of Gordons, especially young men, mothers and young women are leading the way through the Touch association headed by Mr. William Yogomin.

They have already set up the Gordons Kokofas AFL club participating in the POM rules competition and moves are underway to enter a team in the PRL competition in the not too distant future.

Finally Gordons Touch is here to stay and if the writer truly resides in Gordons, he is welcome to spend his Sunday afternoons with the executives of the association and be thoroughly informed on the struggles they face instead of giving free mileage to politicians who are here today and gone tomorrow.

Iamutu Kere
Gordons, NCD

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