THE Parliamentary Opposition Group has applauded the Government for initiating and launching the 2017 Disarmament and Amnesty Exercise.
The gun amnesty exercise came into effective as of Monday May 22nd 2017 and will lapse on June 9th 2017.
In a statement early this week, the Parliamentary Opposition Leader Honorable Jeremiah Manele said this initiative is timely as it also encourages people who are still in possession of guns and ammunitions to surrender them to police.
“There is no doubt that a lot of citizens in this country still have fears that guns are still out there. As such, this is an opportunity for responsible citizens to surrender them to police,” he said.
Mr Manele said the Opposition Group fully supports the initiative.
He said the initiative also demonstrates the Government’s commitment in providing a safe society for our citizens and our country as a whole.
“It is timely given the imminent exit of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI),” he said.
The Opposition Group understands that those that handover their weapons will also issued with certificate of recognition.
The Opposition Office also understands that the program will be implemented by the Ministry of Peace and National Reconciliation, Ministry of Police, National Security and Correctional Services with the assistance from the Solomon Islands Post- Conflict Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Restoration Associations of Malaita and Guadalcanal Provinces.
The Opposition Leader said all citizens of this country are entitled to an guns- free society.
“It is our desire that we have a safe, peaceful and sustainable future for our children. Therefore, we must work together to achieve a guns-free society for our next generation,” Mr Manele said.
“It is our responsibility to live harmoniously with each other, free from intimidation and fear by the existence of guns in our society,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Leader has kindly appealed to people still in possession of guns and ammunitions to surrender it to police.
“I appeal to good citizens of this country to take responsibility and do the right thing,” he said.
