A Methodist Church leader has called out the church for failing to address a growing national crisis characterized by increasing drug trafficking, teenage pregnancies, sexual offenses, and rising HIV/AIDS cases. Reverend Iliesa Koroi, the Evangelism Secretary for the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, emphasized the urgent need for the church to take more decisive actions in confronting these issues.
Reverend Koroi’s statements indicate that both the Government and the local communities are feeling the strain of trying to combat these challenges, attributing some of the exhaustion to the church’s lack of participation. He remarked, “The Government and the vanua have exhausted themselves in trying to combat these social issues because we, the prophets, are not doing our job.”
Criticizing clergy for their ineffectiveness, he stated, “People don’t change through education but through the word of God,” underscoring that the community’s spiritual leaders have a critical role to play. He expressed that “the Government and the vanua are tired because the men of God are sleeping on the job,” calling for a greater church engagement with young people struggling with issues like HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, and pornography.
Reverend Koroi warned that law enforcement will grow weary of efforts to eradicate drug trafficking if the root causes are not addressed in the community. “Only God can change Fiji,” he asserted.
He also pointed out the decline in family unity and prayer among modern families, urging them to reconnect through shared time and spiritual practices. He emphasized, “Families need to spend time with each other and, most importantly, pray together.”
In response to Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection Lynda Tabuya’s suggestion to reinstate the death penalty for major drug traffickers, Reverend Koroi criticized the proposal as an ineffective solution. He stressed that genuine change requires tackling the underlying factors that lead to crime: “We must address the root of the problem, which is the desire within a person.”
Reverend Koroi has called for unity among religious leaders, advocating for collaboration among all faith communities to confront the serious social issues facing the nation. “Let’s work together,” he concluded as he was re-elected to his position.