The MSG Secretariat Sports & Arts and Culture team led by Deputy Director General Mr. Peter Eafeare have successfully completed Consultations with Sports and Arts and Culture Stakeholders.
According to the team leader, the consultations in Papua New Guinea had proved beneficial with the team successfully meeting with the PNG Sports Foundation, Mr. John Wesley, Vice President of the PNG Football Federation (PNGFF) and on behalf of Mr. John Kappinato, the PNGFF President. The meetings were in particular interesting given the experience the PNG Football Federation have including their influence in lobbying for tournaments like the Melanesian Football Cup to happen.
The PNG Football Federation expressed their gratitude when meeting with Mr. Eafeare and the team, stressing that the idea of resurrecting the Melanesian Cup tournament had been discussed verbally in Russia during the recent World Cup among different football bosses of the Melanesian nations. He commended the MSG Secretariat for taking the initiative to make it a reality, further expressing PNG’s willingness to host the next Melanesian Football Tournament.
Having the Melanesian Cup back up and running will be healthy for our football development and target towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup and any international football tournaments thereafter would potentially raise the playing standards and technical abilities of our footballers similar to other advance football confederations.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Director General Peter Eafeare stressed the importance for the MSG to take ownership of the competition and most importantly to engage our young talented players for the Melanesian Football Tournament.
DDG Eafeare reiterated the importance of strengthening the relationship of the Sub-Regional grouping, and the need to encourage and nurture our talented young people to participate in Sports, and to uphold our traditions in Arts and Culture as these are the very roots of our existence and the identity of our sovereignty.
He concluded, that the dates for Melanesian football tournament are still being discussed as it depends entirely on commitments and funding but he is hopeful that the football tournament can be staged soon.
The MSG Secretariat Sports, Arts and Culture team flew to Solomon Islands over the weekend for their last round of consultations.
Source: Dailypost
