This analysis will basically look at law and order through the eyes of some of the political parties contesting the general elections in Solomon Islands on December 5, 2001.

Parties to be featured on the issue of law and order in this analysis edition include the Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition, Solomon Islands Labour Party, the United Democratic Party and the Peoples Alliance Party. There are other parties contesting the upcoming general elections, but we will first concentrate on the four political parties and their comments on the issue of law and order as laid out in their election manifestoes.

1. UNITED DEMOCRATIC PARTY [UDP] STATES:

"Nothing much can be achieved if the law and order situation is not good. The UDP will carry out a review of the police force to ensure that the various branches of the force are staffed with qualified and experienced staff. Service conditions of the force especially those serving in the provinces will be improved.

Exetrnal assistance through the usual cooperation programmes will be reactivated and upgrade the performance of the force to combating crimes and maintain peace and security among the commodities. Community Policing will be continued and resources will be made to ensure that those engaged in community policing are catered for.

The disciplined forces comprise the Regular Police, Rapid Response Unit, Field Force, Maritime Force and the Prison Service Force. These will need to be kept in constant check to ensure that cohesion and loyalty are maintained."

2. SOLOMON ISLANDS ALLIANCE FOR CHANGE COALITION [SIACC] STATES:

"SIACC agrees and shares the same concerns by people of all walks of life that there has been total disregard for principles of good governance by the authorities. This has resulted in deterioration of public confidence in government and its institutions, costing the country its good image. Accountability and transparency as well as consistency in decision-making are near absent leading to loss of confidence in the country, particularly from our external friends. Domestically however, the same perception is held by our people.

With the scenario being widely percieved, SIACC government will, after the general election and through appropriate legislative and policy mechanisms, restore confidence deserving of, and owing to the people and Solomon Islands as a nation.

It is in this regard that stringent but appropriate enforcement of law and order is called for as a matter of priority. The prerequisite to this however, entails a wholesale overhaul of the legislation governing the operation and conduct of the police force to meet the current demands of the Solomon Islands society.

Indeed on the broader front and commensurate with the need for political reform, a facelift of the police force will bring back public confidence, particularly to the investment sector who have continued to exercise caution because of uncertainties and risks planted by seeming laxity of the police to crackdown on criminal activities after the end of hostilities between the two former militant groups in October 2000."

3. SOLOMON ISLANDS LABOUR PARTY [SILP] STATES:

Labour believes that law and order is the prerequisite for the steady political and economic development of Solomon Islands. To achieve this, be it at the Federal or State level, there has to be a police force and prison services that are politically independent, technically qualified and competent, corruption free, well disciplined and dedicated. In order to achieve this, a Labour Government will:

- Establish a Federal Police Force. Recruitment criteria for this force will pay close attention to the achievement of the above stated aims.

- Establish State Police Forces.

- Maintain the Field Force as an integral part of the Federal Police Force.

- Abolish the special constabulary at the Federal level and transfer it to the state level.

Labour believes that the Prison services, be it at the Federal or State level, is essential for the purposes of disciplining and rehabilitation of citizens and non citizens who have been found guilty of committing serious offences. On this basis, Labour will:

- Establish Federal and State Prison Services.

- Ensure that Prison officers are given proper and comprehensive training."

4. PEOPLES ALLIANCE PART [PAP] STATES:

" A PAP Governemnt shall ensure that the Police Force is appropriately and properly developed, and is capable of meeting the critical and complex needs of the country. The Police Force shall be developed to be highly disciplined and competently trained.

A PAP Government shall embark on programmes that advance specialist training of capable officers , to deal with modern crimes such as drug trafficking, corruption, asymmetrical warfare and terrorism and Internet crimes.

A PAP Government shall ensure that State Governments shall have their own State Police Forces.

A PAP Government shall ensure Prison facilities and prison treatment services are improved throughout the country. It shall also ensure that hardened convicts are not put in the same place with less violent offenders, especially juvenile offenders.