By EDDIE OSIFELO
OFFICE of Prime Minister and Cabinet has ordered the suspension of the government-sponsored church devotion programme on Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) early this month.
SIBC signed a contract with the Government since 2019 during Covid-19 to allow Solomon Islands Christian Association (SICA) and Solomon Islands Full Gospel Association (SIFGA) to encourage citizens with the Word of God from Monday to Sunday on air.
The contract is expected to end this month.
But recent, SIBC was directed by the PMO to end the programme because the Government would not longer meet its cost.
However, SIBC last Friday informed the churches to continue with the devotion because the existing contract is still valid until the end of this month, which saw the devotion resumed on Monday.
One church leader told Island Sun they were told the Government has directed SIBC to end the daily devotions.
He said some of the leaders of SICA and SIFGA were shocked because it was the government’s initiative to sponsor the programme.
“The Government actually invited SICA and SIFGA in Cabinet and asked them what they could do to help the people during the pandemic.
“We told the government a way forward is to continue preach the word of God to the people,” the church leader said.
However, the church leader said they are happy to bless citizens with word of God in the last three years to the people on air.
“We do it from our hearts for this nation and never get paid for this activity,” the church leader said.
The reason behind Government’s move to suspend the devotion programme is still unclear.
However, recently the churches opposed Government’s move to extend the term of Parliament from four to five years.
