The Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (C.C.C.S), the largest christian denomination in Samoa, has rejected a proposal by the government to tax church ministers. At its annual conference last week a resolution was passed to present a letter to the government outlining the church’s objection. The rejection of the government’s plan was widely supported by the Read more
Fiji’s education minister Dr Mahendra Reddy told the manager of a Catholic school to privatise it he he wanted the school to have Catholic teachers. “Once you privatise your schools you can appoint your teachers, you pay their salary, you look after the school and we will not interfere with you on whom you appoint Read more
The prime minister of Fiji, Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, has accused the Methodist Church in that country of being a mouthpiece for the opposition Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA). The church’s general secretary, Reverend Epineri Vakadewavosa, has responded by saying the church leaders would see the Prime Minister and “sort things”. Mr Vakadewavosa said the church Read more
Different churches in Samoa have their own systems for collecting money. So, to be fair, that has to take that into account when asking churches to pay tax. Samoa’s National Council of Churches does not have an official opinion on the plan by the Ministry of Revenue to tax pastors and clergy. “We will leave Read more
The Samoan government is considering making church ministers pay tax. “We are now in the process of carrying out consultations with churches,” Samoa’s Minister of Revenue, Ti’alavea Tionisio Hunt says. “We already had a meeting with the Executive of the Samoa National Council of Churches where we discussed the issue,” He said he understood pastors Read more
The question of Sunday church attendance has been raised in Fiji, in the course of a consultation about village by-laws which is taking place there. Responding suggestions some villagers have made for a village by-law stating that everyone living in villages should attend church every Sunday Permanent Secretary for iTaukei Affairs Naipote Katonitabua says no one Read more
Inadequate funding for day to day management of Catholic Agency schools was been brought to the attention of the Government last year says Papua New Guinea’s National Catholic Education Board chairman Fr Paul Jennings. “These facts were pointed out to the Prime Minister, Education Minister and Education secretary in a letter from the Catholic Bishops Read more
The Fiji Government will not fund religion says the prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama. While responding to pleas from villagers on Saturday, Bainimarama said if Government handed out assistance to a certain church group, others would follow suit. He said this could not be done because Government did not have the funds just to assist religious groups Read more
There is a need to limit and be very careful about allowing new religious groups to come into villages because they have different beliefs says Ministry of iTaukei Affairs permanent secretary He said that they are asking these religious groups to follow the proper channel and liaise with the village headmen. “New religious and church Read more
Archbishop Peter Loy Chong has denied accusations that churches have failed in their primary role and are burdening people with demands to build bigger and more beautiful churches. He says such accusations are not factual and needed validation. Ro Aca Mataitini, former Roko Tui Cakaudrove and now training officer with the Ministry of Itaukei Affairs, Read more