On Sunday 22nd May 2016 at St. Alban’s Parish the Commissioner of Police Mr. Frank Prendergast Deputy Commissioner Operations Mr. Gabriel Manelusi and the Police Band Director Mr. James Maelanga did officially presented Certificates to forty seven (47) participants who attended a three months music training which was coordinated by the RSIPF Police Band Director.
Out of the forty seven participants who received the certificates ten (10) of them were from Starlina, in east of Honiara beyond Lunga.
This initiative came about after the Parish council Chairman Mr. George Palua made a request to the RSIPF seeking the assistance of the RSIPF to train the St. Alban’s Parish youths in music. The request was then endorsed by the Commissioner of Police and the Director Police Band.
The three months training was mainly on theory and the students who attended the training has make best use of the opportunity that was given to them.
In his address to mark the end of the three months training the Commissioner of Police Mr. Frank Prendergast highlighted the importance of RSIPF partnership and involvement with the community.
He stressed that Police has taken this initiative to assist the youths and more so the community not only through music but also it is the way forward to also educate the communities how to fight crime. The role of the Police with the Community is so vital that Police is now trying to introduce the Crime Prevention Model which this really need the wider community to participate in.
The Commissioner has also highlighted to those who attended the ceremony that Police are there friends and are here to help not to see them as an enemy. He further stated that youths should understand how valuable they are as they are the ones who will be the next future generations of this country.
The Chairman Mr. George Palusi on behalf of the Rector and Parishioners of St. Alban’s thanked the Commissioner of Police and his team for the assistance and support rendered to them through this musical training which really help the youths of St. Alban’s and the Starlina youths gain the knowledge on how to read music.