West Gate Security firm starts two-week training for its security guards

By Timothy Inifiri Jr

Local security firm, West Gate Security Solution Ltd, officially started a two-week training course for its security guards today at the West Gate Training Center in Honiara.

The security training will see a total of 30 new intakes undergoing two weeks of intensive basic security training, child welfare, domestic violence and gender based violence training.

Giving his remarks during the official opening of the security training, West Gate Security Solution Director Selwyn Akao said that the event marks a huge milestone for his security firm.

“It is not only the work of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) to maintain peace and stability in the country, but it is supposed to be a collaboration between police and the private security firms”, he said

Akao also stated that  maintaining peace within the communities is one of the key priorities leading up to the idea of the security training  to help the new guards meet the standard and work together in collaboration with the police in maintaining peace.

“During the trainings the guards will go through various trainings including basic human rights, family violence, child welfare, basic security training, patrol, effective communication, public relations, professionalism, ethics and code of conduct”, he added

Also attending the opening was Provincial Police Commander (PPC) of Honiara City Chief Superintendent Jimson Robo who highlighted that like the RSIPF, security guards also have similar roles.

“Police have the upper hand because we have powers and that’s what makes us different from the private security. We have the power to arrest unlike securities who have rules to follow, otherwise all our work is the same”, PPC Robo told the participants.

Superintendent Robo also said that he is looking forward to working in closely with the new intakes whom will be attending the training.

With some of the criminal cases involving security guards, Robo says that security firms need to have better reputations for their companies and such training is the first step.