Dragons to Discipline & Educate Naiqama
for Unlicensed Driving

The St George Illawarra Dragons have today taken steps to discipline and educate Wes Naiqama after he was last night pulled over by police for driving without a license.

Naiqama, 22, was disqualified from driving for a similar offence in 2002 and has already been participating in community service and will appear in court in October.

?The Club is very disappointed that Wes has made such a poor decision with respect to the law,? said Dragons Chief Executive Officer Peter Doust. ?We had previously spoken with Wes about the seriousness of this situation and his obligations.

?We believe Wes is a decent young man who acted without thinking about the consequences and we all need to ensure his future activities comply with appropriate standards.

?It could be said too many young people can overlook the implications of not observing or complying with the regulations of the road. A driving license is a privilege and needs to be respected.

?The ?it won?t happen to me attitude? just doesn?t cut it and the Club will now take a greater role in ensuring he is educated about his responsibilities?.

?It was an irresponsible decision to make and I am very sorry for what I did,? said Naiqama. ?I should have listened to the advice given to me from my family, friends and the Club and I will now ensure that I am better organised and responsible as I will not be driving a car in the foreseeable future?.

The Club was awaiting the legal system to decide the outcome as far as Wes was concerned, however they were to initiate professional counseling support to assist in Wes?s ongoing education, and to demand that Wes undertake additional community based educational activities.

It is always about striking a balance between punishment and rehabilitation. The club has never been afraid to fine people however in this case we believe education and service is the appropriate course of action.