SOLOMON Islands as nation had requested the service of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) into the country in 2003.
This was as a result of the ethnic tensions the country had gone through at that time.
The coming of RAMSI had contributed a lot in seeing the national government able to provide most needed services again to her people.
For instance, in the sectors of law and order, health services, education, economy, judiciary, governance, etc.
In terms of law and order, the RAMSI indeed spent millions of dollars to improve many different areas in the police organisation.
Money has been spent equally on capacity building, construction of police housing, leadership training, police facilities, logistics, etc, etc.
Therefore, I believe most citizens have anticipated that the very money pumped into the organisation would improve discipline and service delivery for them.
Now, while this is good news and of course general public expectation, I hope many people too still ask for themselves these simple questions:
– Why discipline in the police organisation seems getting weaker, affecting service delivery?
– What’s wrong here? Are the training undertaken and facilities provided really gear towards addressing the issues the organisation been faced and going to face in the near future?”
In my humble opinion, I think there is something important still missing.
The government needs to work extra harder to identify the very causes of the ineffective performance of some officers and ill-discipline issue in the RSIPF.
I think it is high time now that the organisation seeks the service or assistance of “Sociology discipline.”
We need an expert (sociologist) to investigate and figure out the possible causes of different issues the RSIPF is facing.
It is public knowledge that the discipline in the organisation is deteriorating and therefore the possible root causes must be disclosed as soon as possible.
The finding would perhaps be an eye opener and indeed encouraging for the government.
The government will then able to know exactly what are they and in a better position also to map out the best way forward for the organisation in terms of improving discipline and effective service delivery.
In the organisation these discipline issues are obvious and alarming:
1 Absenteeism
2 Lateness to work
3 Signing off early from work
4 Chewing betel -nut while on duty and in uniforms
5 Consuming liquor while on duty and in uniforms
6 Engagement on other business activities
7 Driving under influence of liquor
7 Insubordination/ no respect to superior officers, etc.
By PETER SITAI
Kirakira
