Expensive APEC summit sows division in host Papua New Guinea

I've been to PNG. Arrived there from a flight from Vanuatu. But my luggage didn't. I got taken to my hotel in Port Moresby. Looking out the window of my room I could see a row off shops down the road. Just before sunset my hosts met me at the hotel and we had a beer on the terrace. At six o' clock massive steel doors closed off the entrance to the hotel. The rest of the hotel is surrounded by high walls topped with razor wire. I said to my hosts that tomorrow morning I might go down to the shops I saw down the road to buy some change of clothes - maybe 50 metres away. They told me in no uncertain terms, SimondB, do not under any circumstances leave this hotel without us.

A taxi took us to place for dinner. The restaurant was surrounded with 3 metre barbed wire. At the gate stood men armed with shotguns. As our car arrived it was surrounded by people on the perimeter of the fence. Waving their shotguns to move off the people a gate was slid open and we were able to drive in. This is life in PNG. This is going out for dinner in PNG.

But in some ways this may be a place that Trump, and to be fair other leaders like Putin, might feel at home. The President of PNG has just been called to account as to how a contract to build $52 million dollars worth of bridges - which were never built - were awarded to a firm he controlled. He has been called to account but will never be held to account. This is how it works in PNG. 

And here's the very sad thing. PNG is just overflowing with mineral wealth. It could, and should be the most wealthy Island states by a country mile. And yet corruption has kept this country in poverty - except for a few. Why on earth was this place seen as a good spot to hold an APEC meeting? Or am I being naïve?

Thanks @Simon. Never been there, but a friend of mine flew there from England. He was robbed at arrival and got malaria the next day. His holiday lasted about 3 days, not one month.

All these global conferences now follow a similar format. Limousines for the powerful, private jets for the sponsors, , sumptious banquets for all, big photo-op backdrops and high-tech AV if the country has enough power in the national grid, 5-star hotel accommodation wherever possible, police and military on standby for protests, some censored canned local entertainment to remind the jaded attendees which country they are in, the local red-light districts and call girls/boys on overtime, local construction guys making a fast buck, and a little trickle down effect to the local' wallets from the hours supporting the circus.

This is going to be the quietest summit ever.

Nobody is going to go there to demonstrate.

All world summits should go there.

It would be great if a majority of these stellar leaders got malaria, or a pox. For all their talk about improving their citizens lives with opposite outcomes, would be nice to have them taken down several pegs. Wonder what noise is made when their bubble bursts and they are left with just a handful of millions.

The more corrupt and lawless it is, the better it is for the multinationals to pillage it!

Who in the country can afford a Maserati?

Only the corrupt!

Aust taxpayers are sick of funding rubbish like this...im flat out affording to put petrol in my car , while my taxes buy PNG gov luxury cars to show off in.

PMG gov is corrupt using my money this way,

And the Aust gov is corrupt for giving it to them.