Kukum Police Station construction commences

Construction work to replace Kukum Police Station commenced yesterday (12 October 2022) during a ground-breaking ceremony.

The new building will be situated on the site of the existing Kukum Police Station which was ransacked and burned during riots across Honiara in November 2021.

The Minister responsible for the Ministry of Police, National Security and Correctional Services (MPNSCS), The Hon. Mr. Anthony Veke, Commissioner of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF), Mr. Mostyn Mangau, and members of his executive, Commander of the RSIPF-Australian Federal Police (AFP) Policing Partnership Program (RAPPP), RAPPP members and invited stakeholder representatives witnessed the ceremony.

The new Kukum Police Station, which is funded by AFP through RAPPP, will be a two-storey concrete building. It will be a modern and secure police facility that includes interview rooms, offices, meeting and training rooms, open spaces, kitchens and multi-purpose operations and briefing rooms to service the upcoming 2023 Pacific Games operations.

This will be another major construction project supported by RAPPP under its four-year operational enabling foundations project. The building will not only provide a new and better working environment for the RSIPF officers but will benefit communities across Honiara that need RSIPF services.

“The reconstruction of this station is another great example of the partnership between Australia and Solomon Islands and the Australian Federal Police’s longstanding relationship with the RSIPF,” RAPPP Commander, Smith, said.

He said it is important that police stations are inviting to the community to come to and designed to service the needs of the community.

Minister Veke said he is grateful to see the continuous strong cooperation and policing partnership with Australia through RAPPP.

“On behalf of the Solomon Islands Government, I wish to take this opportunity to sincerely acknowledge and thank the Government of Australia through the policing partnership program for the continuous commitment, and support towards the development and strengthening of the RSIPF capability,” Minister Veke said.

RSIPF Commissioner, Mr. Mangau, said the RSIPF and AFP have been working closely on the design features of this new Station.

“Kukum Station will enable RSIPF to manage future traffic operations for all of Honiara. It is a multipurpose facility that can easily adapted to a forward command centre when required,” Commissioner Mangau said.

He thanked AFP, through RAPPP, for addressing one of the RSIPF’s main needs which is the re-commencement of police services in the Kukum area.

RAPPP has been providing technical and capability development assistance to the RSIPF since 2021.

Construction of this building is expected to be completed by 30 June 2023. The construction work will be done by a local construction company, Bako Construction, and is anticipated to provide job opportunities for local workers.