The government’s NZAid arm on Friday announced the building program for the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands set up in the wake of violent ethnic clashes between 1999 and 2003.
“New Zealand, through our partnership with Solomon Islands government and Ramsi, will fund the construction of 34 new houses,” NZAid executive director Peter Adams said.
RAMSI’s acting special coordinator, Jonathan Austin, said RAMSI, has done a lot of work in stabilizing law and order but more needed to be done, which is why the initiative was welcome.
Acting Police Commissioner Walter Kola pledged good management of the new houses: “The police force will use all the powers available to it to ensure that these houses will be properly managed and maintained.”
Meanwhile, licensed Solomon Islands gun holders who surrendered their weapons in 2003 to RAMSI have started receiving their compensation pay.
The Solomon Star reports that the Ministry of Police and National Security began administering the payouts at Rove Police Club.
The cabinet has approved that .22 rifle owners will be paid $340 per person. Shot gun rifle holders will be paid almost $200
The government has allocated $500,000 for the payments with 1,726 people reportedly eligible for compensation.
