9 May 2003

Solomons MP says aid donors need to do more to help police service rebuild

6:38 am on 9 May 2003

A Solomon Islands MP says aid donors need to make a greater effort to try and restore the country's struggling police service.

Teams from Britain, New Zealand and Australia are in the country working with local police to rebuild morale and change the culture in the force.

In addition Japan and Taiwan are providing aid funding for the police.

But Alfred Sasako says at the moment the aid donors are not addressing the root causes of the problems in the police service.

He says they are glossing over the problem.

"Our problem is not coming here and working in air conditioned rooms, we want people who can gather intelligence, who can provide the sort of material support that the Police Commissioner needs and in the absence of that we will continue to see what we are seeing and experiencing every day."