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Fiji Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has turned down a request by leaders of the country’s largest Christian church to lift the ban on its annual conference in August.
Bainimarama told FijiLive that unless the church rids itself of politics it’s much-anticipated annual conference will not be given the green light.
“Basically the conference will happen once they remove politics not only from their agenda but from the church too,” he said.
Bainimarama said he had reiterated to the church president Reverend Ame Tugaue this morning his military council’s stand on the matter, and its reasons for canceling the meeting.
“We have requested the church president to remove politics from church and they can go ahead with the conference.
“The Methodist church leaders, however, remain adamant to continue with politics in the church,” he said.
Government spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Neumi Leweni further clarified that in the meeting with the PM and senior military officers in Suva this morning, Reverend Tugaue pleaded to have the conference go ahead as scheduled.
“However the president and secretary of the church seemed reluctant to address the issue of removing politics by dealing with the instigators,” said Lt Col Leweni.
“Commodore Bainimarama said in view of their reluctance to adhere to Government's request, it has left him with no option but to defer the Methodist conference indefinitely.”
Lt Col Leweni added that “Government will not be swayed by anything and will not allow elements to destabilise the country and detract us from our vision of Building a Better Fiji”.
“We again appeal to the public to respect the rule of law and not be misled by foolishness of a few in trying to cause instability,” he said.
