Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1996, published 85th ILC session (1997)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Solomon Islands (Ratification: 1985)

The Committee notes with regret that no report has been received from the Government. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the following matters raised in its previous direct requests:

1. Under paragraph 3 of the Constitution (Adaption and Modification of Existing Laws) Order 1978, no modification was made to sections 74 and 75 of the Labour Ordinance (1960) relating to forced labour. The Committee again requests the Government to indicate whether these provisions are in effect as last amended by Ordinance No. 8 of 1973 and to supply copies of any legislation enacted subsequently to amend or repeal these provisions and of any rules made thereunder.

2. The Committee noted the provisions of section 6(3) of the Constitution of the Solomon Islands. It again requests the Government to supply information, including copies of relevant statutory instruments or administrative rules or regulations on: (a) any circumstances in which labour may be exacted, in the absence of a sentence, by virtue of the order of a court; (b) the practice regarding the range of duties whose performance by detainees is considered reasonably necessary in the interests of hygiene or for the maintenance of the place at which they are detained as referred to in section 6(3)(b) of the Constitution; (c)(i) any labour of a non-military nature which may be required of members of a disciplined force performing compulsory national service (other than conscientious objectors); (ii) the duration of engagement and conditions of resignation of career members of the disciplined forces and other public servants; (iii) any schemes providing for an obligation to serve for a definite period in return for education or training received; (d) any circumstances in which a declaration was made by the Governor-General of the Solomon Islands under section 16(2) of the Constitution; (e) any labour which may be required other than under by-laws referred to in section 74(c) of the Labour Ordinance, concerning minor communal services as part of reasonable and normal "other civil obligations".

3. The Committee again requests the Government to supply with its next report copies of any recent by-laws providing for the exaction of minor communal services, as referred to in section 74(c) of the Labour Ordinance.