Dear Editor,

In a letter to the Solomon Star newspaper this week, the Leader of the Opposition in the Solomons wrote a touching and fitting tribute to the late Honorable Toswell Kaua, CMG, OBE, MP., the man I teasingly loved to refer to as "Boss."

As the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Police, Toswell worked tirelessly to aid the Royal Solomon Islands Police. He always had an "open door" and I will for ever be grateful for the help he gave me, personally, in securing both funding and equipment for the police service, especially at a time when the SIAC government faced a major financial crisis on assuming office in 1997.

I, too, recall Toswell's gentle manner, his patience and his sense of humour. He was a kind, considerate gentleman, dedicated and a loyal public servant.

I will miss the man I was honoured to have known and counted as my friend.

I extend my sincere condolences to his wife, Alice, to his family, friends and former colleagues in the public service and national parliament.

Yours sincerely,

Frank Short