The church and government

Dear Editor,

After reading your editorial “Cost of ignoring the need to deal with corruption” (Samoa Observer 27 July), I felt depressed and sad. Sad as the authorities, mainly government has defended and abetted this corruption like the corruption revealed in the Controller and Chief Auditor report (2009-2010). 

Depressed as this calloused attitude has spread to the church (E.F.K.S) as revealed in the Sunday Samoan (24 July) with the article “End in sight for church multimillion tala project” where huge monies are involved (usually in the millions) it attracts corruption like flies. 

The money gets sucked away by the elites, facilitated by central planning and a plethora of corrupt hangers-on. The end result are white elephants and there are several, plus the poverty index (M.P.I) going further south. 

And now the church (E.F.K.S) can not build a church with 10 million tala. The Iupeli project was budgeted for 7 million tala but what has transpired is for a cool 10 million tala you only get a floor and walls. 

Its collaborative wrongdoing.

Mismanagement would have been flagged and corrected. The Chinese builders got paid a massive 5 million tala for just laying out the floor and the walls? (Haggai 2:3 is very apt) I don’t know who is more corrupt, the Chinese or the church. And now a 15 million tala loan has been approved to complete the Iupeli which the EFKS membership will again be asked to pay. 

Don’t tell me this is Gods will. 

Living with corruption is like living in an abusive relationship. We might need a strong hand from somewhere to help us come out if the current leaders won’t do it, both government and church.

Justice must be seen to be done and a Commission of Enquiry is appropriate. This will not be incompatible with forgiveness. (at least the church’s membership should know who to forgive for what) The church and government both need a reset.

It will be the greatest ‘blessing’ these institutions can do for the majority of the populace eking out a day-to-day existence with ‘blood sweat and tears’. It will also hold in abeyance the darkening of moral discernment with the indulgence of greed and lusts at high places.

I.N.L

Samoa


Samoa Observer

Upgrade to Premium

Subscribe to
Samoa Observer Online

Enjoy unlimited access to all our articles on any device + free trial to e-Edition. You can cancel anytime.

>