Let me welcome you all to a better year for the EPA community. Apparently, and thanks to Covid 19 and all its other variants, we have missed two years of football activity. This is both sad and unprecedented.
The least that could be done was to register a website for Eastern Papua Association (EPA) in 2020 (website address?), and shelve many of our planned football activities. After an aborted call for a meeting due to lack of quorum in mid-2021, a renewed push towards merchandising EPA image occurred. An offshore dealer of the products was secured which now awaits the much-needed funding. This is estimated to be around K20,000.
Additionally, a blueprint or conceptual plan for EPA and EPC was conceived, drafted and is now uploaded onto the website as the President’s address. This clarifies the separation of functions between EPA as the office of administration, and Eastern Papua Carnival (EPC) as the activities and events, and the way forward. Events and activities include the main flag carrier in football, and other forms of entertainment-based fundraising events.
Website construction has continued and so as the work on merchandising the EPA products. The website framework is now about 60% complete but urgently requires information and images input from respective club members, office bearers and patrons. Please do check the website pages to see where and how to come in with your club information. So far, Labose FC and Ferno FC are leading the way with some basic information about their clubs, teams, and players from the 2019 season. This website promises to be a repository, or library on and about EPC/EPA since its inception four decades ago. Therefore, EPA website is conceived to be quite unlike the standard website that one comes across online, and often filled with commercials and excessive decorations. Documentation on the history of EPA/EPC has been the guiding cue for this website.
In the wake of Covid 19, Delta, Omicron and whatever else, we are now challenged to diversify goals, objectives and activities from for instance, football to other innovations. Website development and merchandising for the time being have been the immediate focus of this executive. As can be gleaned clearly, a focus on football alone is really subject to the ability of Port Moresby Soccer Association (PMSA) to secure authorization from the Covid Controller’s office. Whilst Lahi (Lae) football community seemed to be faring fairly well, and along with PNGFA, PMSA seemed to have hit a stale end. EPA/EPC cannot proceed with its games when it does not have the vital asset in soccer fields. And with an average crowd of some 500 people involved at each weekend, the odds are dauntingly insurmountable.
However, this executive remains optimistic that 2022 promises to be better than 2021. We must strive to innovatively and creatively rise to the challenges of Covid variants and live with them. Modern technology has broadened our options no doubt. My executive and I ask us to ride on them as well.
linus s. digim’Rina, EPA President