China gives to basketball

Basketball Fiji was boosted with a $12,000 cheque donation by the Chinese Embassy yesterday to help in the running of the association. In presenting the cheque, Counsellor Fei Mingxing said the embassy was happy to help the association. “Basketball is the first sport that we have assisted and we are very pleased with the outstanding achievements achieved in the past years and we hope that our support today will help you achieve more and defend your titles in the next South Pacific Games”

Mingxing also said that there is a need to identify talents at a very young age and how important it is to develop them as they grow. Basketball development officer Laisiasa Puamau said the grant will be used to purchase the much needed equipment for respective associations. Puamau thanked the Chinese Government for their financial support towards the growth and development of the sport in the country.

Mingxing acknowledged the President of the Fiji Basketball and Commissioner of Fiji Prisons & Corrections Service (FPCS). “Your president is a very good friend of our ambassador, and you have a strong leadership under the Commissioner of Prisons”.

In receiving the cheque, the President of Fiji Basketball and Commissioner of FPCS Brigadier General Ioane Naivalurua thanked the counsellor for their kindness and support. “On behalf of the Prime Minister and the Fiji Basketball Federation, I accept your donation with a lot of humility,” Naivalurua said. Brigadier General Naivalurua also assured the counsellor that the money would be used in the development and growth of basketball in Fiji.