THE Papua New Guinea High Commission office in Honiara has assured local players under football contract in PNG that they would liaise with the PNG government for leniency on player’s visas.
This came after Team Manageress Vonnie Kapi-Natto highlighted in a press conference yesterday that the Hekari United management are in the process of holding talks with the Minister responsible for sports in PNG to grant long term visas for our players playing in the PNG NSL.
Natto said that at the moment players who travel to PNG are travelling on a visitor’s visa thus they return every three months to renew their visa which was a very expensive practice.
“It is an expensive exercise but because we want the best for the team we have been doing this for the past years especially with our imports from Solomon Islands and Fiji. But I hope that with the achievement Hekari have done to put PNG on the world map, the PNG government would look at granting long term visas for our players”, Natto said.
Acting PNG High Commissioner, Frank Mizigi in response said that the office in Honiara would also bring the issue to the PNG government’s attention.
“It is good news that the team management have already raised this with the minister responsible but our office in Honiara will also be speaking on your behalf because in the end we are looking at players who will be helping our country”, Mizigi said.
Meanwhile, Natto added that they have received overwhelming congratulation messages from supporters, business houses, resource owners and even PNG’s Prime Minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare and his cabinet.
The O’ League trophy will be leaving the country for Fiji this Friday for its final three nations tour before going back to PNG.
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