Ads by Google Ads by Google

PM: Church warning on casinos a “joke”

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi has brushed off a warning from the National Council of Churches (NCC) about the perils of casinos and gambling in Samoa.Made by the Chairman of NCC, Reverend Deacon Kasiano Le’aupepe last week, Tuilaepa told the Sunday Samoan that Rev Le’aupepe must have been “joking.”July seems to be the month of choice for spiritual gatherings in Samoa. The latest group to add its name to the list of locally-held conferences this month is the South Seas Christian Ministries out of Hawaii. They will begin a five-night seminar from tomorrow, 16 to 20 July, to inspire and encourage local Christian believers in their walk with the Lord.To be held at the Aggie Grey’s Hotel in Apia, the services begin at 6pm daily. It is open to everyone. “After twenty five years of coming to Samoa to provide aid and help to the people of Samoa, we have found July and August work best for everyone both in Samoa and in the USA,” says Michael Maxson, President of the South Seas Christian Ministries. “We come here because we have found that the people of Samoa have blessed all of our teams over the years and they go home excited about helping other people.We have had more than one thousand people come to Samoa and American Samoa.” The South Seas Christian Ministries team who is here for these events include its President, Michael Maxson, its founder, Papali’itele Jack Thompson and Pastor Dr. DH Shearer, who is also a lecturer in theology in Oregon. The team has raised their own support and taken time off their work to travel to Samoa.Safa’ato’a, Lefaga is one of the villages where team members will be holding medical clinics, a Bible camp for children and a youth sports camp during the same week of the seminar.