In the people’s defence, the learning and skills required to achieve the benefits of modern industry and capital wealth were rarely available.

The connection between wealth and social organisation was unclear – and, in those days of early contact, had to be deduced.

But, even with better education and social sophistication, problems continue.

And of course these problems are not PNG’s alone.

The pursuit of easy riches was and remains a common failing of humanity.

Inducements to gamble and the means to do so now intrude into almost every aspect of our way of life.

There seems to be no end to the limits of how humans can be cajoled into losing their money through claims of easy profit.

Of all these inducements, scams are the cruellest method.

Traim laki, lusim moni, kamap nating. Make a bet, lose money, gain nothing.

Inogat narapla rot. Hat wok tasol inap lo girapin moni. There’s no other way. Hard work alone will earn money.

This statement, or something like it, was offered to villagers who had ‘done their dough’ and couldn’t work out why the most recent ‘easy money’ scheme had yielded nothing. Maybe the next one might work?

Those who mocked and denigrated this apparent naivety could then be asked: “Oh, do you play the pokies and bet on the geegees?”

Indignation was the response. Stony silence perhaps. Clever rebuttals more likely. “Oh, that’s entirely different!”

It isn’t hard to find the next potential train wreck. I found it amazing to hear an ABC report on another new casino for Port Moresby (the half-built skeleton of the last one still standing) along with the Bank of China getting a licence to operate in PNG.

Then there’s the alternative to religion called football which is neck deep in gambling.

Well, good luck, I say, to those who suggest any of this is free of connection with impending doom.

But there’s a good axiom to hurl at this: if it’s happened before, it will happen again.