Officers of the Royal Solomon Island Police Force (RSIPF) have provided security starting on Thursday at the RSIPF Conference Centre at Rove in Honiara where counting of ballots from Wednesday’s by-elections in North East Guadalcanal and Central Honiara is taking place.
Counting commenced on Thursday and is continuing throughout Friday.
Operation Commander for the RSIPF By-Election 2020 Assistant Commissioner Simpson Pogeava in a statement yesterday said, “Police officers are manning the counting venue and members of the public are not allowed in except for the candidate’s counting agents and observers. Anybody seen misbehaving will be dealt with accordingly.”
He said officers have also been deployed throughout Honiara City as far as White River in West Honiara and Lungga in East Honiara on high visibility patrols as part of the RSIPF bye-election operation.
“The Operation will continue until after the counting has been completed and the winning candidates for both constituencies declared,” said AC Pogeava.
RSIPF Traffic officers are also out on the street controlling the traffic to ensure the road is safe for all vehicles and pedestrians.
“I want to appeal to voters, supporters, and members of the public to respect the process of counting the ballots until it has been completed,” said AC Pogeava.
He added as part of the Emergency Zone regulations under the State of Public Emergency, no public victory parades will be allowed on the streets of Honiara.
“Police urge whichever candidate that wins the by-elections to advise their supporters to observe the regulations and the general law and order.”
