Amid a growing national crisis characterized by rising drug trafficking, teenage pregnancies, sexual crimes, and increasing HIV/AIDS cases, a Methodist Church leader has voiced concerns about the church’s lack of action.
Reverend Iliesa Koroi, the Evangelism Secretary for the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, criticized the church for failing to address these urgent issues, emphasizing the need for more effective measures. He pointed out that both the Government and the local communities have drained their resources in combating these challenges, primarily due to the church’s inaction.
“The Government and the local communities have exhausted themselves in trying to combat these social issues because we, the prophets, are not doing our job,” he stated. Reverend Koroi expressed disappointment with pastors and reverends for their ineffectiveness, asserting, “People don’t change through education but through the word of God.”
He highlighted the necessity for the church to engage more deeply with the youth, who are struggling with HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, and pornography. “The police will get tired of uprooting and raiding drugs when these issues are not addressed from within themselves, and for this to happen, it needs God,” he remarked, adding, “Only God can change Fiji.”
Additionally, Reverend Koroi criticized the decline of family unity and prayer, insisting that modern families need to reconnect with essential spiritual practices. “Families need to spend time with each other and, most importantly, pray together,” he urged.
In a strong response to Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection Lynda Tabuya’s suggestion to reinstate the death penalty for serious drug traffickers, Reverend Koroi deemed her approach ineffective. “She is a minister but can’t address the issue properly; instead, she proposes death. That is not the solution,” he commented.
He stressed that meaningful solutions must focus on addressing the root causes of crime rather than resorting to extreme measures. “We must address the root of the problem, which is the desire within a person,” he stated.
Reverend Koroi called for unity among religious leaders, urging all faith communities to collaborate in tackling the country’s significant social issues. “Let’s work together,” he concluded as he was re-elected to his position.