Policing a Clash of Cultures

Today, we publish chapters nine, 10 and 11of the new book “Policing a Clash of Cultures” written by former Police Commissioner Englishman FRANK SHORT. The Sunday Star has been given permission to serialise the book in its upcoming issues.   Part 9: The Police Force I Joined. The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force had its…

Give our locals the top job

GOVERNMENT’S intention to appoint a local to head our police force is not a bad idea at all. It is just about time we do that. We have highly capable, as well as respectable officers within the force who can take on that role. They have gone through various trainings provided by Australia and New…

Please, end the strike

THE second teachers’ strike has entered its third week. We still don’t know how soon this will end. The Government has warned teachers to resume duty or face disciplinary action. Teachers in Honiara met over this threat yesterday. They refused to back down and instead blamed Government’s ignorance for the situation. Except for a few…

Gov’t please, end the strike

SO our teachers have resumed their nation-wide strike action. And the Government has chosen to remain silent in the face of this national crisis. This is unbelievable. The least this nation expects of its leaders is to step out and tell them whether their children will return to their classes Monday next week or not.…

Holding back women hurts everyone

TODAY is International Women’s Day, and a perfect time to reflect on why it is so important to promote gender equality in the Pacific. In the last decade: womens voices are increasingly being heard and more women are entering the formal workforce. And in the Pacific, political leadership has endorsed the Pacific Leaders Gender Equality…

‘Check out the SI, Aus should rethink aid’

Australian Aid at all destinations should be reviewed, perhaps through a Royal Commission. For example I saw former PM Howard announce AUS$800 million aid for Solomon Islands but a later SMH report stated $600 million never left Australia. Google “phantom aid” and “boomerang aid”. Solomon Islands people virtually have no money. An experienced SI economist…

Skeleton in the closet

I THINK that the prime minister’s intention to sue the Solomon Star and the Forum Solomon Islands International (FSII) for the publication of allegations of sex scandal will be personally and politically detrimental to him. It will harm, more than help, his reputation. I am therefore surprised that his lawyer and close associates have advised…

Demanding huge compensations must stop

EVERYONE must know that compensation is not an opportunity to extort money or goods from someone or another party. Customarily, compensation is a bridge, a form of punishment which attracts reconciliation that is normally made to mend any problem between two people or parties. A person or party that committed wrong always pays a very…