The crocodile awakens – kind of ….
26 January 2016
BAKA BINA, JOYCELIN LEAHY, EMMANUEL PENI & RASHMII BELL
THE old Croc has been in hibernation and seems to have overslept.
As you are no doubt aware the ‘Made in PNG’ version of the Crocodile Prize is also having a few teething problems.
Rest assured, it’s on its way.
However, in this year of transition, it has been necessary to consider a range of issues including potentialities and capabilities and to adjust our aspirations accordingly.
One of those capabilities that has proven unworkable is the concept of a committee of management. The committee decided upon in Kundiawa last year is just not working. Despite the enthusiasm and promises the members have just not responded. Quite often they won’t even answer emails. They are a dud committee.
In place of the committee a loose group of individuals are coming together to see the old Croc safely through 2016. At this stage they are Baka Bina, Emmanuel Peni, Joycelin Leahy and Rashmii Bell.
The workload has been divided up as follows:
Baka will be in charge of recruiting sponsors and developing a business plan and looking after finances. Emmanuel will be helping him and kicking in a bit of publicity at the same time.
At this stage it is highly likely that the 2016 prizes will be considerably reduced, both in monetary value and the range of categories open to entries. Hopefully this will change in subsequent years. This shouldn’t bother the really dedicated writers.
The prize amounts will be determined later and will depend on sponsorship but the categories will be short stories, essays and poetry. This should expand later too. If you can fit children’s stories, heritage writing etc. into one of these categories go for it.
The business plan will be developed during the coming year and is not urgent and Baka will develop it as the year progresses.
Joycelin will be receiving the entries and doing the initial assessments. Rashmii will be helping her. Those entries deemed of merit will be passed on to Phil Fitzpatrick for editing and possible inclusion in the 2016 anthology. He will pass on the really good ones to Keith for publication on PNG Attitude.
At this stage we are assuming that the 2016 awards will be held in Madang. These are likely to occur at the end of the academic year, probably in early December, rather than around Independence Day in September. We’ll keep you posted.
The competition will commence tomorrow, Wednesday 27 January. Entries should be sent to Joycelin at: [email protected].
Include a brief biography and contact details with your entry. Entries without this information will be ineligible for the competition.
Enquiries can be made through the website: www.crocodile prize.com
We also have a Google Plus page called Crocodile Prize. Anyone can add themselves and join the discussions.
The cut-off date for entries will be 27 July and the winners will be announced in early November.
Get writing!
Thankyu tumas Phil and Emmanuel, I shall do as advised. I will get in touch with Bernard who was one of my former lecturers and both of us are now currently based in DWU thus it makes it easy..
Cheers!
Posted by: Jack Klomes | 28 January 2016 at 02:08 PM
Jack Klomes. Please contact at DWU. Bernard email is: [email protected] Jack we certainly need yous in Madang to be the "On the grounds" people for us in Madang.
Also communicate with us on: [email protected]
This goes for all you others out there.
Posted by: Emmanuel Peni | 28 January 2016 at 10:43 AM
You can help by publicising the competition in Wabag and Enga Province Daniel.
We want a good representation of Engan writers this year.
Posted by: Phil Fitzpatrick | 27 January 2016 at 09:22 PM
As one who volunteered to help during the Kundiawa session, I am truly sorry I could not do much from here in Wabag. Communicating through emails is not the best option to run a loose organisation of volunteers living everywhere. I sort of gave up when Baka’s email kept developing problems. Immediate person to person contact had to be made.
But with BB getting help from Peni, Ruth and others living in Port Moresby - they can get this going. And I am sure we will make the 2016 Crocodile Prize event in Madang a success. Apologies once again
Posted by: Daniel Ipan Kumbon | 27 January 2016 at 07:59 PM
What you could do Jack is get in touch with Bernard Yegiora and the writer's group at Divine Word and act as a link between them and the guys in Port Moresby and Lae.
With the awards being scheduled to be held in Madang this year it would be good if the Crocodile Competition was publicised both at DVU and Madang in general.
Bernard is at: [email protected]
Posted by: Phil Fitzpatrick | 27 January 2016 at 03:17 PM
The awards date was changed because of the late start for the competition Francis. Otherwise there wouldn't have been time to get the anthology done.
Perhaps we can aim for an awards day in November. That's when the winners will be announced. See what Baka and Co. think. Dates are still flexible at this stage.
Don't get too worried Mathias. There is a good team working on the prize now.
The people who made promises in Kundiawa let everyone down and a lot of time was spent trying to communicate with them but it didn't work - hence the delay.
Posted by: Phil Fitzpatrick | 27 January 2016 at 01:35 PM
Dear Mr. Emmanuel Peni, Thankyou for what you and your Committee members have done thus far...after reading your comments I would very much like to assist and contribute in any way possible....
I am based in Madang and I am not much of a writer but I am a keen follower of this Blog and the Crocodile Prize Competition. Therefore I would like to volunteer myself should there be any way you and your committee could use me kindly let me know and I would only be too glad to assist.
Provide me your email or the committees email thus I could shoot you and email...Thank you...Cheers!
Posted by: Jack Klomes | 27 January 2016 at 01:08 PM
At the 2015 Kundiawa meet a whole morning was dedicated to the future of the Crocodile Prize and lots discussed. It's getting me worried now.
Posted by: Mathias Kin | 27 January 2016 at 12:20 PM
Better waking up late than never. Awesome! Looking forward to this prestigious annual literary competition this year.
Posted by: Dominica Are | 27 January 2016 at 12:11 PM
Great Baka and the team. The important thing is the Crocodile must live on whether it grows fat or skinny.
One question from me is why putting the award ceremony to December? It is a one day event and can be held in September.
For us here in Kundiawa, the whole of December is for Simbu Children Foundation and we are seeing a clash of timetable.
Think about it.
Posted by: Francis Nii | 27 January 2016 at 10:48 AM
That's the problem with Ruth, she sort of sits in the background and makes things happen that people take for granted.
But you definitely need a Simbu on board.
Posted by: Phil Fitzpatrick | 26 January 2016 at 05:05 PM
Thank you very much Phil for your support. I also want to mention, even though I have not met her in person, I believe Ruth Moiam has been a great help to Baka on-ground in Port Moresby. Thank you Ruth and hope you will still be part of the team. We were also honoured to have Johan Volkerink from Paga Hills Development assist us with the development of the Business Plan. Thank you Johan.
Posted by: Joycelin Leahy | 26 January 2016 at 03:53 PM
Thank you Philip.
This Committee of loose group of individual still need you all out there. We will and PNG will be glad if anyone of you out there have spare time could use your capabilities to please email us and ask us what you can do to contribute.
We are excited to crawl, stand and walk. We are excited to go forward. Please join us and help us grow. Help PNG Literature grow.
Posted by: Emmanuel Peni | 26 January 2016 at 01:13 PM