THE Port Moresby Rugby League has no venue to stage its 2014 competition.
According to competition’s secretary Dr James Naipao, the PRL has become the unlucky victim of progress and development after the old Lloyd robson Oval and club house and stands were demolished to make way for the new National Football Stadium.
Naipao and PRL operations manager Meke Maino said this week PRL was on the hunt for a venue before the start of its regular season in April.
Naipao said one of the largest rugby league competition’s in the country was now effectively in a state of limbo.
“The PRL and the players are the biggest losers of the redevelopment of the field. We have been excluded from the management of the venue and have no guarantee of its use when it’s completed,” the former Kumuls and Vipers secondrower said.
Development financier Oil Search have the management rights to the facility.
Naipao said the least those in authority could do was grant them the use of the two back ovals (PRL 1 and 2) for their competition.
He said unfortunately no consideration was given to the existing competition that used the PRL before construct work began on the venue.
“We are victims of the government’s lack of planning and ignorance. The competition and players’ future have been held at ransom.”
A submission to use the Murray Barracks oval was rejected by the force last week.
Port Moresby (The National)
