There’s a riddle that goes, “What am I? You may not always see me but you always know I where I am. I always have hundreds of soldiers guarding me no matter what time of the day or night it is. What am I?” and of course the answer is “An outhouse, the dunny, the loo, toilet.” Whatever you want to call the place where you carry out your ablutions.

In a village, a house, or in any area where the premises are kept clean and tidy; where rubbish is gathered in a tidy heap and buried, incinerated or discreetly left to decompose, in these circumstances you won’t have an infestation of flies and the smell only bashes you if you get close enough.

image via maricopa.gov

On the other hand - if the village, building, premises is untidy, littered and trash is all over the yard you get the stench and the flies that are gathered in the millions! No matter how hard you try to swat them or spray them, the flies simply lift off into the air – do a few crazy whirls and twirls, readjust and just kamikaze right back atop of that pile where they were so disgracefully chased off from for a few seconds. Needless to say where there is shi--, there will be flies.

Why all this talk about excreta on this inglorious Monday the 21^st day of May?

It all started over the weekend. In strategic places of Papua New Guinea there were gatherings of multitudes. A few were gathered there because they genuinely believed in what was being said and wanted to be a part of what they thought was significant moment. The majority however, were those who were just sitting or standing…without any real purpose. Just sort of - buzzing. These people struck a chord and made that made me think of flies – which in turn made me think of sh--.

Those that do not have a moral compass do not care for their country, do not give a two toea about their future – never mind their nephews, nieces AND their children’s future can be likened to flies. Wherever they can sense ‘warmth and nourishment’ (like flies can) they move in that direction.

Which brings me to the crux of the matter - the rotting garbage , the sweet aroma that is simply irresistible to flies. These are the people that have proven over and over again that they are untrustworthy and are not capable of holding leadership positions. These people are like that pile of rubbish that has been strewn and allowed to gather again.  Lets hope that they are not allowed to let loose their sickly sweet odor that will surely entice the flies – who will in turn become soldiers that just won’t leave that pile of rubbish alone so the cycle continues and the pile grows and the flies multiply.

The only fool proof way of keeping flies (and other pests) out of your home, your village, your LIFE is to keep your home clean. How do we do that? By making sure the rubbish gets disposed!