The Solomon Islands Police have started enforcing safety measures to ensure that people are safe while travelling at sea during the Christmas and the New Year period.
The Acting Commissioner of Police, Walter Kola says the measure was necessary to prevent overloading of passengers.According to him, problems arise when passengers refuse to leave when the owners of boats try to reduce the number of passengers to comply with the marine regulations. He says that this often cause delays in the schedule of the ships leaving the Honiara ports.
Mr. Kola says the police will ensure that this Christmas period, that such unnecessary complication will not happen.
He calls on all ship owners and boat charterers to ensure bookings of passengers must be kept within the legal carrying capacity of each vessel.
Mr. Kola says the police and the Marine Division will ensure ship owners and operators comply with safety measures to also ensure that vessels carry the right number of life rafts and jackets to accommodate passengers on board.
SIBC Online