Do what you can to protect yourself

WE cannot fault the police for saying that their responsibility is only to ensure security at the airport, not to escort arrivals home.
NCDC metropolitan chief Supt Benjamin Turi said (The National, March 15) that arrivals or their hosts should arrange for security escort if they are arriving at the Jackson International Airport early.
He said this in response to a recent spate of hold-ups, many of them targeting Malaysians arriving from Singapore.
The flight arrives around 5am.
What the issue also says is that Port Moresby (or PNG) remains a high-risk destination.
Whether you are working in the country or visiting, one needs to be aware that you always a potential target of raskols who are getting smarter as shown by their methods.
It is not uncommon now for raskols to wear the uniforms of a company, utility company, the Customs or the police to gain excess to a victim’s premises.
Some would claim that they were answering a complaint.
In other cases, they would claim that they wanted to search the premises for illegal goods.
So the advice to everyone is never to be complacent.
Always be on guard, lock your car doors, look around you when driving, be aware of suspicious characters, avoid carrying excessive amounts of cash, do not flaunt your money, avoid certain places, especially those that you are unfamiliar with, and do not stop to ask for directions.
Also do not stop if you are flagged down by an unmarked vehicle (especially at night and at lonely spots).
A good option is to drive to the nearest police station or a place you know is secure.
For new arrivals, all this may sound scary.
Unfortunately, the reality is that the police are ill-equipped to protect us from raskols.
We must do what we can to protect ourselves.
Some have opted to get a gun. If you do, be prepared to use it without hesitation.

Be Safe
Port Moresby