HONIARA (SIBC/PINA) — Worries about security at Honiara’s Henderson Airport have increased after recent incidents at the domestic terminal. Passengers who had booked seats were forced to miss a flight because other people forcibly took over the seats.
When the pilot protested there was a threat to spray the terminal with bullets.
No one was hurt during the confusion at the terminal. But a witness described the incident as frightening and said Solomon Islands airport security should be improved. The airport tension comes amid continuing law and order problems despite a peace agreement ending two years of ethnic conflict.
Hundreds of high-powered weapons are still unaccounted for.
They include those taken from the main police armory in the June 2000 coup.
In this elements of the paramilitary police field force joined Malaita Eagle Force militia in taking over Honiara in what was called a joint operation.
Meanwhile, in Parliament, new Finance Minister Laurie Chan said devaluation of the Solomon Islands dollar is secondary on the government’s agenda to revive the ailing economy.
