Private Column by Frank Short, CBE

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Frank Short is a British born Australian citizen.

He served as the Commissioner of Police in the Solomon Islands from 1997 to 1999.

As a young national service officer he was a member of the Corps of Royal Military Police in Hong Kong from 1959 to 1962 when he commanded an Anti-Vice Section, receiving commendations from the Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong and the Commissioner of the Royal Hong Kong Police.

His later civil police career was spent in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), Swaziland, Hong Kong, New Hebrides (now Vanuatu), St Helena and Ascension Island and Bophuthatswana.

He was twice awarded 'Batons of Honour' during his early police career, the first when serving in the Northern Rhodesia Police (NRP) and the second as a member of the Royal Hong Kong Police (RHKP).

His appointments have included Head of the Training Wing of the Swaziland Police College,Public Prosecutor in Swaziland, Officer Commanding the Northern Police Division of the New Hebrides Constabulary, Santo, Chief of Police on the Island of St Helena, Registrar of the Supreme Court, St Helena, and Detective Inspector in the Special Branch of the Royal Hong Kong Police.

In Bophuthatswana, as a contracted British Adviser, he lectured on human rights and successfully commanded a Civil Claims department and a Complaints Against the Police office.

In 1995 he was appointed Senior Legal Administrative Officer to the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Safety and Security in the provincial government of the North West Province of South Africa.

In his role as Senior Legal Administrative Officer he continued his work as a human rights adviser and lecturer, working in close cooperation with staff from the Raoul Wallenburg University in Sweden and the University of Essex in the UK. He was also involved in the pre-planning work for the establishment of a South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

In 1998 he was invited by the United States Army to address a Pacific Armies Management Seminar (PAMS) in Manila, Philippines, on the role of "Leadership." This was the first occasion a police commissioner had been invited to address a gathering of senior international military officers from some 40 countries.

Since retiring as Commissioner of Police in July 1999, he has maintained a close relationship with the Solomon Islands and been a strong advocate of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

He believes passionately in restorative justice and reconciliation for all the people of the Solomon Islands.

In recent years he has done voluntary teaching work in Thailand, including aiding socially disadvantaged young people.

He was appointed CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours, 1999.

Policing a Clash of Cultures Part 6: Arrival

Excerpt from my memoirs.

The seat belt sign disappeared and the rush to the exit door started with overhead lockers dispersing their contents into welcoming hands. The usual line of disembarking passengers quickly occupied the aisle, all heading towards the exit through the forward cabin door -- better to remain seated until the aisle got less crowded. We had arrived back on the ground and that was the main thing…

The man in the seat in front of mine, having also stood, now looked over the top of his seat back towards me and asked if I was the new Commissioner of Police?

“Yes,” was my smiling reply?

Surprise -- he was Thomas Hsieh, the resident Taiwanese Ambassador to the Solomon Islands. Responding in Cantonese, learned in Hong Kong, got his attention and he introduced his wife, Martha, and also Herman Chiu, the First Secretary at the Taiwanese Embassy in Honiara.

At the bottom of the aircraft steps, I met Morton Sireheti who firmly shook my hand and introduced himself as the Deputy Commissioner. He then followed up by introducing me to several senior ranking police officers. A nice gesture I thought.

Next were Fred Ganate, the Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet and Toswell Kaua, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Police. Then we all adjourned to a small VIP lounge where soft drinks had been laid on. One or two speeches of welcome came my way and relevant responses were returned.

Once the formalities were over, I was escorted to a waiting car where I was introduced to Chief Inspector Doris Sukaria, my aide for the day, and to Ronnie my driver. Doris was a largish lady, with an outgoing personality, topped by the bushiest hairstyle I had ever seen; which seemed to perch her police cap at a peculiar angle as it struggled to remain on her head. Ronnie, by contrast, was short and stocky; neat in his blue, but well worn police uniform.

Doris was talkative while Ronnie was subdued and concentrated on his driving as we headed off into Honiara via a road full of huge pot holes. The car weaved, avoiding them as we travelled snake like, into Honiara.

It was pleasant enough inside the air conditioned car, but oppressive and hot outside. Doris did her best to point out places of interest along the way, but I did start to notice the tired, neglected appearance of some of the buildings and facilities. The PWD yard had derelict, rusting vehicles, hiding behind equally depressing wire fencing – a foreshadowing of what was to greet me.


We soon reached the commercial centre along the one main dusty road which meandered close to the foreshore and drove by shop fronts grimy from accumulated dust. Most of them seemed to be Chinese owned as evidenced from the display of plastic ware, metal pots and pans, commonly seen in Chinese owned stores throughout Asia. Heavy, rusting metal grills covered many of the shop windows and this to me was an obvious, but disturbing sign of the necessity for crime protection.

Ronnie now negotiated a hideous, overgrown, roundabout shortly after passing the drab looking shops and then did a right turn into the forecourt of the Mendana Hotel which was to be my residence for the next couple of days.

The first official engagement was scheduled for two days later, which allowed time to settle in and put finishing touches as to what I would be saying on the welcoming parade at Rove.

Specific information on the Police Act, the Solomon’s Constitution and other police related legislation was needed, so I asked the Assistant Commissioner of Police for Administration, Joshua Votu, to bring me the relevant documents.

And that was how I spent my first weekend in the Solomon Islands; going through what he had delivered. One quickly realized the legislation was very similar to the statutory provisions in other former British territories and I felt very much at ease reading through it.

To be continued…..

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