BY TONY IROGA
The China Railway Construction Engineering Group Co Ltd (CRCEG) has improved meals for its local employees in their operation in the Rotui mining on Isabel province.
The company said this in response to publications by Island Sun last month which reported on local employees complaining about their meals which they described as ‘inedible’.
A video shared by the workers to Island Sun showed an incident in which the workers showed their disappointment at their employers, taking the pot containing their meal and pouring its contents in front of their employers.
Photos shared by the workers showed their meals which were also served in plastic bags, something which is deemed inappropriate and degrading, according to the workers.
The workers furthered that their colleagues who were from China and other Asian countries were eating menus that were akin to menus served in local Chinese restaurants in the country.
Speaking to Island Sun, spokesperson for the CRCEG company, Nora Bandiala, said they usually serve meals which the workers themselves requested.
Furthermore, Ms Bandiala said the incidents showed in the reports by the paper occurred during the cyclone Maila, in which the company could not transport food to their employees in Isabel from Honiara due to the dangerous sea and wind conditions during the cyclone.
She said during the cyclone Maila period their operations on Isabel all experienced shortages in meals, and the menus were rationed awaiting further replenishments from Honiara.
Bandiala explained that regarding the menus, the company initially provided all workers both local and foreign with the same meals, but the local employees rejected some of the menus, instead requesting rice, local vegetables and local tuna products.
The company said following cyclone Maila, they have resumed their routine supplying of rations to the camps and menus have returned to their normal ingredients, adding that the local workers are now content with their meals.
The company showed Island Sun the latest photos and videos last week of meals which were cooked for the local employees, which consisted of tuna fish, chicken and fresh vegetables.
Bandalia said their camps have trained chefs and trained locals to assist the chef in the kitchen, and that high standards of hygiene are practiced in the camp kitchens to provide their workers with safe and delicious meals.
The company reassured that the reports reaching Island Sun about the unwanted meals was regrettable, adding that at that time it was beyond everyone’s control since cyclone Maila rendered all forms of transport to Isabel from Honiara dangerous, thus they could not send fresh supplies to their camps.
CRCEG said all through out their operations, they have strived to treat their local workers equally according to agreements with the landowners and human and workers rights.
Bandalia also explains that the company was contracted to build infrastructures for the main company which owns the mining operations.
CRCEG also carries out some excavation works, but not direct mining, she said.
Bandalia also said the company has an employees complaint box which they had encouraged workers, both local and foreign to submit whatever complaints they have in this box so that the company can be made aware of their grievances and address them as soon as it can.
She adds that this arrangement has led to the resolving of many disputes and complaints since they began their operations.
The company said that they promote transparency in their operations.
Photos: Supplied
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