RSIPF to maintain presence during National Congress in the Shortland Islands

Officers of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) are maintaining a presence during the one-week the Divine Mercy National Congress being held at the Nila Catholic Mission Station in the Shortland Islands from 16 – 21 December 2019.

The Congress, which is the first of its kind to be held in the Shortlands region, is expected to attract about 2,000 participants from within Solomon Islands and overseas.

The local organizing committee for the Congress met with the Police Operation team at the Kulitanai Police Station on 11 December 2019 and discussed ways that the RSIPF could assist them in terms of maintaining law and order and security.

Police Forward Commander at Kulitanai, Inspector Kerry Sireheti assured the local organising committee that police will conduct a series of check-ins and check-outs on all travelling passengers coming in and going out of the country via the common border with Papua New Guinea at the Shortland Islands.

“As part of its mandated role to maintain law and order within the Solomon Islands side of the common border with Papua New Guinea border, officers of the RSIPF will conduct checks for all traveling passengers bound for Nila from Bougainville to attend National Congress,” says Inspector Sireheti

Chairman of the Nila Catholic Parish, John Messiah was happy with the discussions held with the RSIPF officers at the Kulitanai Police Station. He also acknowledged Police presence since the beginning of Operation Bougainville Referendum.

“The increased presence of the RSIPF in the Shortland Islands makes us feel safer; something that we have never experienced before. The time is right for the Shortland Islands to host such a big National Congress with the increased presence of police among us,” says Mr Messiah.

Forward Commander; Inspector Sireheti assured the local organizing committee for the National Congress that Police will provide a safety brief for all participants during the orientation, and will conduct community policing awareness during the course of the National Congress.