ELECTION CORNER: About 300 foreign personnel will be deployed to Solomon Islands to support the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force provide security at next month’s joint elections.

Commissioner of Police Mostyn Mangau said under existing security arrangements with regional countries, around 300 officers will be here. They come from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji under the Solomons International Assistance Force (SIAF) and RSIPF’s bilateral agreement with PNG with the support of Chinese police who are already on the ground.

Domestically, there will also be additional officers from the Correctional Services.

Mangau confirmed that these officers (regional) will be armed as provided for under the agreements which they will be engaged under.

He said the challenge is there will be both national and provincial elections held at the same time so it would require a lot of manpower.

Mangau also revealed that members of the regional contingent will also be deployed to the provinces to support RSIPF’s operations.

The elections take place on April 17^th next month.