Pacific

Fiji regime restates Methodist conference ban

10:37 am on 14 July 2009

Reports from Fiji says there will be no Methodist Church Conference this year.

The interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, and the Church President held a meeting yesterday.

The Commodore has told Fiji Village the decision to ban the annual meeting is final.

The interim Prime Minister also says that all the Church Standing Committee meetings will now need a permit and none of the church ministers or executives who have a political agenda should be part of the church's decision making process.

Radio New Zealand International has been told that a meeting of senior church figures has been held this morning to discuss the outcome of yesterday's meeting.

Previously, the interim regime had called on the Church to inform its followers that the major annual meeting was definitely not going ahead.