Tongan police officer first woman to coordinate RAMSI Pacific island contingent [1]
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 - 18:54. Updated on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 - 09:54.
CHIEF Inspector Pelenatita Fe'ao (40) of the Tonga Police has been selected by the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) as their new Coordinator of the Pacific Islands Contingents in Honiara.
Acting Police Commissioner Taniela Faletau, announced today, October 11 that Chief Inspector Fe'ao is not only the first Tongan police officer to take up the important job at RAMSI but she is also the first woman police officer from the Pacific Islands to be selected to the position.
"Her new appointment reflects on the credibility and recognition of professionalism of the Tonga Police," he said.
Chief Inspector Fe'ao is expected to take up her new post in Honiara at the end of the year and will initially be deployed for one year with option for renewal for another year.
Chief Inspector Fe'ao told Matangi Tonga Online that she was very happy with her selection under RAMSI. It was not only a great opportunity for her to develop personally as a police officer in the Pacific but she would also showcase what the Tonga Police could bring to a regional mission such as RAMSI, in terms of skills and experience.
She said that she applied for the job together with other police officers from the Pacific Islands who are participating in RAMSI. lthough she has never been deployed under RAMSI she has 16 years of experience in the Tonga Police where she is currently the Manager of Policy and Planning.
Coordinator
Chief Inspector Fe'ao will replace a Papua New Guinean police officer as Coordinator of the Pacific Island Contingent, a job that helps to develop understanding of the contribution Pacific Island Nations make to RAMSI's Participating Police Force.
There are 15 Pacific countries serving under RAMSI, including Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Tonga.
RAMSI police's main job is to provide support for the enforcement of law and order in the Solomon Islands, buta key focus now is to primarily develop the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force's capacity to stand strongly and independently.
On October 1, Tonga Police deployed its 11th contingent to RAMSI consisting of five police officers. They are currently in Canberra undergoing six weeks pre-deployment training before being deployed to Honiara.
Tonga has been supporting RAMSI since it was first set up in 2003 in response to help settle civil unrest in the Solomons.