A time for personal reflection.
On a Sunday in Bangkok where fresh Covid cases have been averaging more than 20,000 cases a day in Thailand, with its population of over 66 million greatly affected by the coronavirus pandemic seeing a virtual collapse of the mainstay tourism trade, economic decline, job losses, and closure of businesses and shops, I have been feeling rather glum on the local situation but on affairs generally and especially on the futility of wars, riots, and public disorder incidences, that have occurred during most of my lifetime, but for what purpose and events that have cost lives and changed the course of history.
The timing of my birth might have been better planned as war clouds were
darkening overhead. World War II was about to begin and my hometown in England was right there in the thick of it.
The Germans knew – sort of where my home was and well within their bombing raids, as they turned inland towards the industrial north dropping the high explosives on docks and cities.
My first 6 years I spent seeking shelter under the stairs of my home as air raids destroyed places a few miles from my house. I still recall the nightly wailing of the air raid sirens.
I was called up to do two years of military national service and left the UK on a troopship for Hong Kong.
At virtually every port along the way one was reminded of ongoing insurgency or recent battles that had occurred during the Second World War, including Aden, Colombo, Singapore and Hong Kong itself.
After national service as a policeman in Northern Rhodesia, (now Zambia), there occurred pre-independence insurgency with the loss of lives, including African police colleagues, there was the threat of insurgency in Swaziland and Lesotho uncertainty and some disaffection.
Disaffection followed me to the New Hebrides (Now Vanuatu) when trouble broke out in Santo as the Condominium moved towards self-rule.
My time in the Solomon Islands was ended by my resignation because of civil conflict which proved a disaster for the country and could easily have been nipped in the bud, as I have many times explained.
My hopes to help the Solomons were unfortunately too short lived but not ended for I have tried to aid the country for the past 22 years.
I have read that once again there have been some allegations of disaffection. I do not know whether such allegations are merely gossip or speculation, but Solomon Islands does not need to suffer from the kind of injustices that occurred two decades ago.
Throughout my life, I have witnessed what wars, insurgency and disaffection can do. I do not want to end my days with more such troubling news and especially in the Solomon Islands where the threat of the Covid pandemic looms large and where the battle must be fought and won.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
