news in PNG

The headline in the NATIONAL on Wednesday was "Ammo Seized" and the story went on to say "Police in Mt Hagen yesterday confiscated two boxes of live ammunitions from a passenger." Other stories were Sir Mekere lauds K160m profit by Nasfund; Corrupt senior cop goes into hiding; Increase in rape rings alarm bells; School flies out students in fear of reprisals.
My boss has gone up with the accountant to Madang today to investigate irregularities in the Studies Centre accounts. The University itself has been troubled by poor accounting practices: the semester had to be postponed by two weeks because it did not have the funds to pay the caterers for the residential students from last year. Staff emails have been concerned about pays not going in to accounts on time. The auditor wrote in 2002 "I was unable to satisfy myself as to the existence, location, identification of these assets which have a carrying amount of K61 903 791". They tell me there hasn't been an audit since because the auditor doesn't say the right things.
Going on from asde concerning the Bali 9. I imagined them telling the arresting policeman, "Yair but we're Aussies, mate, we're fun luvin beer drinkin, loveable, larikin, sports mad drug traffikin Aussies. We're harmless and popular. Everybody loves us cause we're great blokes and matey and good at drinkin beer y' know. C'mon, let us off. We're good guys, we're Aussies."