By Talaia Mika, Cook Islands News
Cook Islands Foreign Affairs Minister Tingika Elikana Photo: Johnny Blades / VNP
Cook Islands Minister of Foreign Affairs Tingika Elikana fired back at the Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) for Matavera, Vaitoti Tupa, on his suggestion to revisit the Religious Organisation Restrictions Act 1975 to further limit religious organisations in the country.
Speaking during the Question-and-Answer Session in Parliament on Monday, Tupa said that only four churches had been allowed under this Act and that parliament had time to consider amending this part of the Act to limit the number of churches coming into the country.
Tupa said: "According to our Constitution, it has stated that this is a Christian country and therefore I am suggesting that we should reconsider this Act so that we can limit only four churches in the country and maybe as we await the advice from the Justice Department or the Crown Law."
His question followed reports of the establishment of the country's first mosque, as reported by Cook Islands News, which had sparked debate both for and against.
Masjid Fatimah Rarotonga is Cook Islands first mosque. Photo: Cook Islands News
In response, Minister Elikana reminded that before the MP decides to touch the Act, Article 64 of the Cook Islands Constitution guarantees fundamental principles and fundamental rights that were established after the 1975 Act was passed.
He emphasised that if there is an attempt to change and amend the Religious Organisation Restrictions Act, they will have to comply with Article 64 of the Constitution guaranteeing freedom of equality and freedom of religion to everybody in the Cook Islands.
"That is the reason why the 1975 Act is still valid law because we haven't touched it and that is why it is deemed valid law under Article 64 of the Constitution," Elikana added.
The Religious Organisation Restrictions Act 1975 limits the introduction of new religions to the only four authorised in the Act - The Cook Islands Christian Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. According to the Act, approval must be granted from the Minister of Justice before another religion be established.
Minister for Justice Vaine "Mac" Mokoroa told Parliament that there are three pending applications for new faith denominations to be registered in the Cook Islands.
Mokoroa said he had not received any application for registration from the mosque.
The Minister said he referred the queries regarding the mosque to the Secretary of Justice and Crown Law, seeking Crown Law's advice on this "sensitive topic".
-This article was first published by Cook Islands News