The Parliamentary Opposition Office says the much talked- about rearmament of the certain sections of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) as of yesterday is a culmination of trust and confidence in the Force.
The Opposition Office in a statement yesterday highlighted the rearmament of the Close Personnel Protection (CPP) and the Police Response Team (PRT) signifies the trust and confidence bestowed upon the RSIPF by the general public who were given the opportunity to have a say in the rearmament exercise during the consultation processes.
“The rearmament of the CPP and PRT not only imparted the trust and confidence of the people, but it also cemented the hope and aspiration of the people for a safer and secure Solomon Islands,” the Parliamentary Opposition Office pointed out.
The Opposition Office, however, strongly emphasized that the rules and regulations on the use of the arms must be kept to the highest standards by the units concerned.
“CPP and PRT personnel must ensure that they adhered to the rules of engagement at all times and not to allow their emotions to cloud their rational thinking,” the Parliamentary Opposition Office stated.
The Opposition Office also urged communities in and around the country to work together with the police force to curb all forms of crimes.
“Police can only effectively carry out their work if all of us give them the support by way of cooperating with them and fight against all forms of crimes,” the Opposition Office added.
The Opposition Office urged Police and all communities to maintain the spirit of community policing as it has proven to be an effective way of lessening crimes.
The Parliamentary Opposition Office has applauded the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) as well for offering the necessary trainings that resulted in the rearmament of the CPP and PRT units.
“RAMSI’s invaluable assistance towards the rearmament of the concerned units has not gone unnoticed and in this regard, the Opposition Office applauded the regional mission for their contribution to oversee the transition of CPP and PRT,” the Opposition Office concluded.
