23 Jun 2003

330 reservists called up to strengthen security at South Pacific Games in Suva

10:24 am on 23 June 2003

Three hundred soldiers will guard the 4 thousand competitors who will arrive in Suva this week for the South Pacific Games beginning on Saturday.

The reserve soldiers from the territorial force have been recruited by the Games Organising Committee to provide security at the Games Village on the campus of the University of the South Pacific.

The soldiers will be i8n addition to the more than 230 extra police who have been assigned security duties at all the Games venues.

A senior police officer is quoted as saying they would not stand around as they did during the May 2000 coup but would be tough on anyone who breaks the law.

The director of the Games Village, Mark Halabe, says anyone trying to enter the village without accreditation and proper clearance will be arrested for criminal trespass.

The army will also be on standby to deploy regular troops if necessary.