A few days in Papua New Guinea has reinforced the idea that “social problems” go hand-in-hand with income inequality. PNG has the 19th most unequal income distribution of 137 countries (NZ is in position 83 on the same scale). The richest 10% of people enjoy 40% of the income; the poorest 10% get 1.7%.
Crime is endemic. Looking around Port Moresby, the high walls, razor wire, and guarded gateways are everywhere. I get driven from compound to compound in cars with locked doors. Restuarants look like prisons – armed guards are posted at steel door entrances. I hate to think what the actual prisons are like, but there are scary clues. There is also a pretty serious HIV/AIDS problem; the highest rates in East Asia and the Pacific.
Yet, at the same time, the people I’ve met are lovely, friendly, shy, curious. It is a bit hard to fathom, particularly on a short visit, but here is a (true, recent) story that might help. An ex-pat was woken at 3am in his “secure” hotel to find a gun under his nose and three guys in his room. They cleaned the place out, taking everything except his pyjamas and passport. At the end of this, while two were outside loading up the loot, the third returned to the room. The victim assumed he was about to be murdered, but instead received a sincere apology. I guess the message was “we don’t hate you or wish you harm; we just want your stuff”.