The PNG Barramundis in their game against the West Indies. Photo: Cricket PNG Photo: Cricket PNG
Papua New Guinea Cricket (Cricket PNG) has confirmed it has outstanding payments to make to members of the Barramundi men's national team from last year's T20 World Cup commitment.
However, the organisation's chief executive Richard Done said it will only make the payments once the PNG Tax Office has confirmed whether the prizemoney they were paid by the International Cricket Council (ICC) is tax-exempted or not.
Done responded to PNG Barramundis players who continue to claim their issues have not been dealt with by the national cricket body.
He said the players are misleading the public with their claims against Cricket PNG.
"The players say that their February 3 deadline wasn't met, which is untrue," he siad.
"Two board members and a Cricket PNG selector met with the unhappy players on February 28 and answered their questions but they didn't accept the answers provided," he told RNZ Pacific on Tuesday.
"Subsequently that day, those players were offered contracts to review and sign. They declined to sign.
"However, the big outstanding issue is the T20 World Cup prizemoney, of which a first payment has been made."
He said the players who were yet to sign their contracts simply want the full amount of untaxed prizemoney immediately and would not accept anything else.
"It should be made clear that Cricket PNG agreed in November 2024 that all prizemoney would be distributed to the players.
"This is subject to any taxes owing, which our current accounting advice, is yes, as it forms part of normal income for a professional player."
Moving on
Done said Cricket PNG has always been willing to meet and talk through the issues amicably, despite the public airing of one side of the story.
"We have not wanted to fight this in the media, as we believe that's not how things should be done, and it is damaging to the very good reputation of Cricket PNG in the community and amongst our sponsors and supporters," he said.
Keeping the ICC informed has also been Cricket PNG's responsility, and the big boost for the association has been ICC's approval of the the 2024 Quarter 4 accounts and the 2025 budget.
This has also seen the ICC releasing the 2025 Quarter 1 funding to Cricket PNG.
Done said, despite the players' coamplaints, Cricket PNG has continued to work on moving things on.
Cricket PNG has also signed a four-year agreement with Queensland Cricket, allowing the country's Under-19 team to move to Brisbane in March and prepare for the Under-19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Japan in April.
Done said of 15 PNG-based Barramundis, nine (9) have signed 2025 contracts and six (6) are outstanding.
Of the 17 PNG Lewas women's players, 12 have signed and five (5) haven't.
"We are hopeful that more will agree," Done said, referring to players signing their new contracts.
"At the end of last week, we drew a line under those offered contracts and those who haven't signed and all players will go back onto a list of players, including nominations from our Associations, to be considered for any vacant contracts.
"Next week, our selectors will decide which players will be offered the vacant contracts.
"What I will say is that all player contracts are very clear in the areas of public statements and media responsibilities, and in bringing cricket into disrepute, as there are with staff contracts. This hasn't changed from the 2024 to the 2025 contracts.
"Also, all contracts signed in 2024 (and again in 2025), include a Cricket PNG Grievance Procedure which outlines informal and formal procedures (including independent mediation), investigation processes, potential outcomes, and victimization clauses."
Done said there have also been some issues with staff, some backing the players and opting to resign or were sacked because of breach of work contracts.
He said Cricket PNG had a full staff of 67 in December 2024.
Of that, four have resigned, including 2024 Barramundis coach Tatenda Taibu, who resigned to return to his son in England.
Four others have been terminated: one for abandonment of their job after several weeks of no communication, two for breach of contract in releasing confidential Crciket PNG information publicly, and another while serving out a notice period for underperformance in the role.
Done said he and the Cricket PNG managament are focused on solving the issues and restoring the damage done to their reputation by the public airing of unsubstantiated claims.
The Barramundis have the Challenge League A One Day Internationals tournament in Jersey in August and the 2026 T20 World Cup qualifiction in Oman in October.
