PM addresses Ministerial Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church

The National Government enjoys a very cordial working relationship with all churches in the country.

Prime Minister Hon. Manasseh Sogavare MP and an ordained elder of the Seventh Day Adventist Church mentioned this while officially opening a weeklong Ministerial Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church last night.

Prime Minister Sogavare said, Christian denominations believe that both church and state are established by God as separate institutions with distinct purposes for the benefit of human kind.

“I believe as Prime Minister of our beloved country, that the proper role of government is to protect both religious and civil liberties of its citizens.”

Addressing the Adventist Conference delegates, the Prime Minister thank the Seventh day Adventist church for being a good corporate citizen and active partner with the government in social sector development and more importantly in the emphasis of the Bible-based religious upbringing.

He adds, the government takes great interest in this development.

The Prime Minister and Ordained SDA Church Elder stated, the Government fully acknowledges the contribution of the Seventh Day Adventist Church….”With 121 education institutions and 36 clinics and a fully fledge hospital established in various parts of the country, the Seventh day Adventist runs one of the biggest net-work of church-run health and education services in the country.

The government is obliged to acknowledge this huge contribution in the Social Sector of the country’s National Development Strategy, he emphasised.

Prime Minister Sogavare stated, the government is pleased that the churches and religious organisations are partners in implementing the National Development Strategy especially in Social justice, humanitarian services, education, morality, economic development and peace and especially its role to nurture believers’ spiritual growth.

He however said, “the claim that Solomon Islands is a Christian country is brought into serious question when men and youths from all denominations descended upon China Town in November 2021 and brought it to ashes. The swearing and cursing that were written on the walls of ruined building is sickening to read.”

The theme of this year’s (SDA) Ministerial Conference is “I Will Go To My Neighbour.”

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OPMC Press