I was pleased to read yesterday that the historic groundbreaking ceremony at Lofung in the Shortland Islands went well and reportedly fulfilled the wish of the people residing along the Western Border for the new border security management approach.
A similar kind of outpost was proposed in 1999 when Australia carried out a Strategic Review of the Solomon Islands following a request of the Solomon Islands (SIAC) government.
It has taken 22 years for the start of the base on the island of Alu but in the earlier years the police operated a base in the same location during the then Bougainville Crisis.
The write-up of the occasion at Lofung in yesterday’s Solomon Star newspaper, citing the desire of the people for better security management, reminded me of the overwhelming support of the people of Malaita for community policing I initiated as policy on first appointment as police commissioner in 1997.
As part of that policy I wanted to see Police Posts in as many communities as possible where a locally appointed special constable would liaise with the people and report incidents and crime related occurrences to the headquarters of the Provincial Police Commissioner based in Auki.
The community at Loina responded enthusiastically to having a police post and set about building one using bush materials and village labour.
I had much pleasure in going to Loina and, together with then Premier of the Province, officially opened the village post now 23 years ago.
At the time of my visit I handed out t-shirts printed with an anti-crime message and the telephone number of the police crime “stoppers” hot line.
The Stragic Review picked up on the policy initiative and the need for community police posts but no support was offered to carry the policy forward.
I remain grateful to this day for the support for community policing by the Loina and surrounding communities and hope the people have kept safe and united, especially during the years of hard times and now with Covid continuing as a threat.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
