The Baton Passes

The 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games relay baton went through the campus yesterday morning. Of course I didn't see it. In fact in a great piece of public relations no one bothered to inform us that it was going to be happening here. A route map was in the newspaper two days before and that was it.

So when I was brushing my teeth ready to head to the office and the helicopter starting buzzing the place outside, I of course had no idea what was going on. So it seemed did the rest of the place. Quite a few disgruntled emails have flowed around the academic staff because of this.

People were being told stories left right and centre by others who also had no idea what was going on. A common theme was that it was Princess Anne, on her way back to the airport and the chopper was for terrorist surveillance. Anne did come to PNG, but last week and only for 36 hours in Port Moresby.

I am not that disappointed about missing seeing the thing - although I did try to catch up to the procession to get a photo for the blog, but the trouble with a relay is that they run - but I am disappointed for the rest of the campus who missed out. I am sure with the right amount of PR and information distribution to the campus population, there would have been a huge turn out to line the streets. Like one of the academic staff said, we always seem to know about the next gospel crusade that is coming through, but not about the Commonwealth Games Relay baton.