The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force has shown their support to unemployed youths performing their community service part of joining the popular [email protected] programme.
About 600 youths took part in a general clean-up that was held in Honiara by the [email protected] with support from the RSIPF last Saturday and Sunday.
The youths cleaned up the National Referral Hospital drainage, the Central Market and Honiara Point Cruz Wharf.
[email protected] registration officer Brown Eroni stated that the massive clean-up was a part of the [email protected] internship program’s community service requirement for new interns.
“The new interns have to complete 80 hours of community service before they can start their internship training,” said Brown. “The hours are distributed evenly to fit in two weeks.”
Speaking on behalf of the RSIPF, Provincial Police Commander (PPC) for Honiara, Jack Balaga, stated that the partnership is a positive one that builds an opportunity for the RSIPF to interact with the youth.
“Such interactions can mean a-lot in terms of support, trust, and confidence, sharing of information, social and human resource developments, role modelling, community engagements and most importantly, futurists in terms of individual youth members” said Mr Balaga.
“On the other hand, it is also an opportunity for the police to realise that youths are a fundamental human resource to any society like the young nation of the Solomon Islands.”
A number of youth have also attended the Honiara city police compound yesterday and assisted the police and the Australian High Commission staff in preparation for ANZAC Day. Their services included rubbish collection, weeding, brushing, painting and rubbish disposal.
Mr Balaga acknowledges the [email protected]’s new interns who have helped the police in the communal clean- up and those who are currently doing their community services at other police posts around town.
“The behaviour of the youths is very positive, respectable and satisfactory and I was very impressed.”
The Phase 7 interns will continue to do their volunteer work in various areas around town throughout this week and next week.
In addition, the community policing also have an information stall at the Youth Market. The market started yesterday and will conclude this Friday.
[email protected] is implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) in partnership with the Ministry of National Unity, Peace and Reconciliation; the Ministry of Commerce, Industries, Labour and Immigration; the Ministry or Culture and Tourism; and the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs. [email protected] is an initiative to tackle youth unemployment in Solomon Islands and is funded by the Australian Government’s bilateral programme with assistance from its partner ministries.
By Regina Lepping [email protected] Communications officer
