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The Samoan government has begun to seize money from the accounts of church ministers who have failed to submit a monthly tax return as required by recently enacted legislation. The Minister for Revenue, Tialavea Tionisio Hunt, said his ministry estimated more than 250 ministers of the church owed $US2500 each in unpaid tax for the first Read more
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The claim by the General Secretary of the Congregational Christian church (EFKS) Church, Reverend Vavatau Taufao, about the Government bringing back the colonialism mentality sounds like something a fa’afafine would say. That’s what Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr Sa’ilele Malielegaoi said, in response to the General Secretary in the ongoing tax dispute between the Government and Read more
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The General Secretary of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (EFKS), says the demand that Church ministers pay tax is part of a colonial mindset that the government seems to have revived. Reverend Vavatau Taufao says taxing church ministers is just the first step. “If this colonial mindset is allowed to continue, when will it Read more
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This week a bill was rushed through the Samoan parliament exempting monetary gifts (alofa) received by ministers during funerals, weddings and other traditional occasions from the new taxes. The Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (CCCS) General Secretary, Vavatau Taufao, said the changed section should never have been a part of the law. Taufao said the Prime Read more
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The stand-off between the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (CCCS/EFKS) and the Samoan government over taxation is getting worse. The General Assembly (Fonotele) of the church has rejected outright the government’s new law which imposes taxes on all church ministers. One speaker at the Fonotele has gone so far as to predict that Government’s decision Read more
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Samoa’s Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr Sa’ilele Malielegaoi says the new tax laws apply to the church ministers individually, not the church as a whole. Documents leaked to the Samoa Observer show that the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (CCCS) will not observe a law requiring all church ministers to pay income tax. According to the Read more
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On 6 March a petition to Parliament was launched seeking to remove tax free status from all religious institutions. The petition requests: “That the House of Representatives pass legislation to tax all religious institutions.” The reason for the petition is: “Destiny Church and similar evangelical institutions are having a direct and negative impact on the Read more
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In Samoa, critics of the new tax laws used language that was so strong and emotive that it led to one government official shedding tears. Church ministers did not mince words when they expressed anger and disappointment at the Samoan government’s decision to tax their incomes – and gratuities – starting on 1 January 2018. Read more
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A pastor in Samoa feels he has been duped over a Bill taxing pastors that was signed in July this year. He has discovered that the Bill legalising the taxing of church ministers is not limited to the “alofa” or contributions made by members. “I am sad because we were not informed about this during Read more
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Revenue Minister Judith Collins says she has no plans to crack down on charities running businesses and avoiding tax. Companies like Sanitarium are often accused of not paying their fair share of tax because they’re owned by charitable organisations or churches, which are meant to use the profits for charitable purposes. Continue reading Related Posts:Government Read more
