OPERATION Render Safe 2019 has commenced effectively as of Thursday and will continue through until the 9th of November says Police Commissioner Mathew Varley.
Varley told reporters yesterday the operation is an annual exercise that is jointly carried out by the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force and the Australian Defence Force.
He said this year’s operation will be done primarily in Western province with a design to help the RSIPF to tackle problems of un-exploded ordinance from the World War 2.
“As we know, Solomon Islands is still suffering from the effects of Un-exploded Ordinance and our EOD officers are amongst the best in the pacific and are working on this,” he said.
He said with the joint efforts from Australia and New Zealand Defence Force, the RSIPF will be grateful to have some logistic and technical support commencing from yesterday.
Varley said the arrival of the Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Adelaide yesterday is mainly for that operation.
He said a joint task force will be established by those three countries mainly to coordinate the operation.
He added the activities will include humanitarian aid and disaster response planning and training, infrastructure projects on the Western border in cooperation with the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF), and Operation Render Safe 2019.
By IAN M.KAUKUI
