The Police Commissioner's announcement that he will re-arm the police force is strongly opposed by the parliamentary Opposition.
In a press statement the parliamentary Opposition has reiterated its strong disapproval of the government's plan to re-arm the Police Force.Opposition Leader Fred Fono is furious to learn that the Police Commissioner is asking the government for an SBD$18 million cash injection in the Police budget for 2008 to buy weapons for members of the local Police Force.
The opposition leader instead warned against a possible backlash if Khan and Sogavare continue with the re-arming issue. He told Khan and the Sogavare government to respect Guadalcanal Province's opposition to the police re-arming issue. The experiences their people had with armed police in the recent crisis are horrible to speak of. He also reminds the commissioner and Sogavare to consider the opposition to the plan from the wider society.
The re-arming call by Khan according to Fono is one the reasons why he was handpicked by Sogavare for the Commissioner's position.