BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
CHINA Railway Construction Engineering Group Co Ltd has reaffirmed its commitment to employee welfare, rejecting allegations of non-payment of overtime, danger allowances, dirty allowances, and National Provident Fund (NPF) contributions.
The company made the statement in response to concerns raised by some of its employees working at the Rotui mining operation.
The allegations were recently reported to this newspaper.
In an email response, China Railway described the allegations as misleading and said it was unaware of any verified breaches relating to claims of unpaid overtime.
The company stated that all workers have been paid their overtime entitlements in accordance with their employment agreements and applicable laws.
“Our company is committed to operating in full compliance with the laws and regulations of Solomon Islands, including the Foreign Investment Act 2005, the Employment Act (Cap 72), the Labour Act (Cap 73), and all other relevant legislation governing employment and workplace standards,” the company said.
In reference to NPF contributions, China Railway explained that employee registrations are still being processed.
“For National Provident Fund (NPF), currently their applications are still in process because there are other requirements since they are in the province,” the company stated.
The company also clarified that danger allowances and dirty allowances are not applicable to the employees concerned because such benefits are not included in their employment contracts.
“Danger allowances and dirty allowances are not entitled because according to the employees’ employment contracts, they are not included,” the company said.
China Railway further stated that it has established policies and procedures to ensure compliance with statutory employment requirements and regularly reviews its practices to remain aligned with legal obligations.
“We continuously monitor and review our practices to ensure they remain aligned with legal requirements.
“We take all allegations relating to employee welfare and employment practices seriously.”
The company said it remains committed to transparency, accountability, and cooperation with relevant authorities in Solomon Islands.
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