By Ednal Palmer
The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) has strengthened its maritime policing capability after receiving two Naiad boats and a tractor from the Australian Government.
The assets were officially handed over to the RSIPF at Aola Base in Honiara on Thursday through the partnership between the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Defence Cooperation Program.
The new Naiad vessels are designed to provide the RSIPF with a fast and versatile near-shore response capability across Solomon Islands’ extensive maritime domain.
Capable of operating up to 30 nautical miles offshore, the boats will complement the RSIPF’s Guardian-class patrol vessels by undertaking missions closer to shore, including search and rescue, medical evacuations, law enforcement operations and rapid responses to community needs.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Krissy Barrett, who was in Honiara for the handover, said the occasion reflected the strong and enduring partnership between the AFP and the RSIPF.
“The RSIPF are more than great partners. You are a great support and great friends to the AFP,” Barrett said.
“These strong ties are mirrored between the people of Australia and the Solomon Islands,” she added.
Barrett said the new vessels were developed in response to the RSIPF’s identified need to strengthen its coastal and inter-island maritime capabilities.
“When the RSIPF identified a need to strengthen its coastal and inter-island maritime capability, we worked together to develop a solution tailored to the Solomon Islands’ unique operating environment.
“These Naiad vessels are the result of that collaboration. These vessels will complement the capability of the Guardian-class vessels.”
She said the Naiads would allow the Guardian-class patrol boats to focus on offshore patrols while providing the RSIPF with a dedicated fast-response capability closer to the islands.
According to Barrett, the new boats will improve the RSIPF’s operational flexibility by ensuring that the most appropriate maritime asset can be deployed for each task.
“Overall, these new additions strengthen RSIPF’s coastal and inter-island response capability while preserving the offshore patrol capacity of the Guardian vessels, resulting in a more effective and balanced maritime fleet,” she said.
RSIPF Acting Commissioner James Aitorea welcomed the Australian Government’s support, saying the vessels would significantly enhance the work of the RSIPF Maritime Police.
“The boats will assist us to conduct near-coast patrols, support law enforcement operations, search and rescue, medical evacuations and promptly respond to community needs across the country,” Aitorea said.
He described the project as an excellent example of Australian government agencies working together to support Solomon Islands’ policing priorities.
Minister of Police, National Security and Correctional Services John Tuhaika Junior said the assistance represented an investment not only in equipment, but also in the capability, confidence and resilience of Solomon Islands’ national institutions.
He said the support would strengthen the country’s ability to respond to evolving security challenges in the region.
“On behalf of the Solomon Islands Government, I express our deep appreciation to the Government of Australia through the Australian Federal Police for this important contribution, and for the enduring cooperation and friendship that underpin our bilateral relationship,” Tuhaika said.
He said the Solomon Islands Government particularly valued the broader support accompanying the assets.
“We particularly value that this support extends beyond the provision of assets.
“The accompanying training, maintenance and operational support demonstrate a partnership focused not only on building capability today, but on ensuring that capability is sustained into the future,” he said.
Tuhaika said this was the true value of an enduring partnership between the two countries.
The handover forms part of a broader Australian Government investment of more than SBD33 million in maritime policing capability across Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
The new Naiad boats are expected to enhance the RSIPF’s ability to respond to maritime emergencies, support communities across the islands and conduct policing operations while allowing the Guardian-class vessels to concentrate on longer-range offshore missions.
The latest assistance further demonstrates the continuing security and law enforcement cooperation between the Solomon Islands and Australia, particularly in strengthening the Solomon Islands’ capacity to manage and protect its vast maritime domain.
You must be logged in to post a comment.