Beyond the Test World

Papua-New Guinea administration to be re-vamped

The administration of cricket in Papua-New Guinea is set to receive a revamp following a meeting between the International Cricket Council's East Asia-Pacific Development Officer, Matthew Kennedy and officials of the much maligned PNG Cricket Board

Tony Munro

The administration of cricket in Papua-New Guinea is set to receive a revamp following a meeting between the International Cricket Council's East Asia-Pacific Development Officer, Matthew Kennedy and officials of the much maligned PNG Cricket Board (PNGCB).

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Earlier this month, Mr. Kennedy and PNGCB Chairman, Veari Maha, issued a joint statement outlining a series of steps designed to address concerns expressed mainly by officials of the country's two main provincial associations, Port Moresby and Lae.

The worth of the meeting was down played by Port Moresby and Lae officials who claimed it was unrepresentative. No current officials of either Association were invited.

Despite this, the reforms appear to tackle the main complaints of the provincial associations - open accountability, transparency and 'ownership' of the PNG national body by provincial officials.

Additionally, it has been promised that immediate issues such as the senior national team's ICC Trophy preparations, the national under 19s team's preparation for the World Cup qualifiers in Fiji in September and revitalisation of the PNG Coca Cola Lik Lik development scheme would all be outlined to provincial officials at a special meeting in April.

Should the time-line below be followed, it would appear PNG cricket will have a governing process that is democratic and transparent.

The time-table released by Mr. Kennedy and the PNGCB is:

By end of March 2001

  • Current PNG Cricket Board to submit audited financial accounts from 1 May 1999 to 28 Feb 2001 to ICC (copy to be provided to all local Associations)
  • Following investigation/preparation by current PNG Cricket Board lawyers, discussion papers re options/ideas for appropriate new constitution for PNG Cricket Board to be distributed to all local Associations for consideration
  • All local Associations to be asked to appoint a current representative to attend a Special Meeting for PNG cricket in April and date to be set

    • In April 2001

  • Special Meeting for PNG cricket to take place
  • Local Associations to discuss/resolve components of proposed new constitution to be put to forward for adoption to an Annual General Meeting in June and date to be set
  • Local Associations and current PNG Cricket Board to discuss/resolve voting system under current constitution to be used at AGM in terms of adoption of a new constitution
  • Local Associations to also make representation/comment/question to current PNG
    Cricket Board members on any matters pertaining to PNG cricket administration and development since last AGM in 1996

    • In June 2001

  • Annual General Meeting to be held with all local Associations who are current paid members at that date
  • New constitution to be put for adoption under current voting system agreed upon at April meeting
  • If adopted, election for PNG Cricket Board office bearers to take place under new constitution

    • Immediately after AGM, June 2001

  • Freshly elected PNG Cricket Board to Incorporate the Body under its new constitution
  • New PNG Cricket Board to begin to develop immediate and long-term plans/activities for the administration and development of PNG cricket from a national perspective, standard annual reporting/voting/meeting processes etc.

    • The Chairman also revealed the following:

  • The current PNG Cricket Board will upgrade the Amini Park nets (with funding provided by ICC for this purpose) as a matter of urgency for use by the national team in its preparations for Canada
  • A Region-wide ICC Umpire Development Project will incorporate PNG and will involve a visit by Australian Test Umpire Darrell Hair in April.