Dear Editor,

It is sad, but true, that soccer matches between certain teams in Honiara have always had the potential for trouble by angry spectators and opportunist criminal elements following on-field disputes.

Prior to 1999, the police riot unit and the members of the RRU were always operationally deployed to Lawson Tama and China town prior to the commencement of play.

This was done to prevent the kind of criminal activity that occurred on Saturday when the SIFF administrative building was torched and a shop in China town looted, as well as vehicles damaged by stones and rocks.

The latest incidents illustrate, if anything, that the lessons of April 2006, when China town was looted and burned, have still to be learned.

Yours sincerely,

Frank Short