A former public solicitor in Solomon Islands says legal procedures for handling ethnic tensions cases must be improved.

Ken Averre, who is now a barrister in Australia, says RAMSI has made a huge difference in strengthening law and order in Solomon Islands.

But he says he's disappointed that criminal cases are yet to be heard, adding his concerns about a lack of accountability of the Participating Police Force.
He says the Australian led force has failed in some of its investigations.

"What accountability is there in relation to the large number of cases which have been processed so far," Mr Averre said. "The large number of cases which are yet to be processed years on from an arrest and charge in relation to those, and any real analysis in terms of that process of prosecution through domestic tribunal."

Mr Averre went on to question cases arising during the period of conflict, "civil conflict, in a small island nation."

Ken Averre also outlined similar concerns in an academic paper for the Australian National University in 2008.