M.S.G POLICE COMMISSIONERS AGREED ON M.S.G POLICE UNIT

MSG Police Commissioners have agreed in principle to form a regional police unit for Melanesia.

The agreement was made during the Police Commissioner’s recent conference in Honiara this month.

Police Commissioner Frank Prendergast revealed the agreement in his weekly media conference last Friday.

He said the MSG Police Commissioner’s conference looked at some initiatives regarding the Melanesian regional police unit.

“The conference looked at some initiatives around suggestions of a formed police unit for Melanesian Spearhead Group countries. There’s an agreement in principle that that will occur at some stage. The conference recognise I think that it needs to occur in a way that it complements regional policing rather than puts another burden on that’s not affordable, so we’ve all agreed to work through that fairly carefully. It’s important that I think the region, from a policing perspective, plays its part in security but we can’t do that at the expense of regional security and that was very strongly understood by the commissioners.”

The Police Commissioner also said the initiative is a work in progress that needs to be done carefully and prudently.

“So it’s a work in progress and I think it needs to be done carefully prudently and at a time when resources are allowed, so countries may elect to participate in that program at different stages depending on their readiness and the affordability.”