THE chiefs of Bua will not allow any pleas of grog ban from the Methodist Church until it follows the proper channel of having their request heard by the vanua.
In a bose vanua of chiefs held at Bua lomani koro on Friday, the Methodist Church asked chiefs to ban grog sessions in the province on Sundays and that people who drank grog on other days were to end it by 10pm for a period of three years.
Bua chief Ratu Viliame Tagivetaua asked the bose vanua to write a letter to the church to inform them of the proper channels to follow before any decision could be made by the chiefs.
He also stated other factors to consider was the presence of other faith-based groups in the province.
Church elder Ratu Kinijoji Ramasima presented the request on behalf of the Bua Methodist Church Circuit.
He asked that the plea of banning grog on Sundays and ensuring grog sessions ended at 10pm every other night be observed in the province.
The same request from the church was made known at the Bua Provincial Council held at Nabouwalu last month.
But Ratu Viliame asked that the proper channel be followed which included that the church members first be informed.
He asked that a letter be written first to the church to inform them of the importance of making their plea known among their members.
Tui Wainunu and bose vanua secretary Ratu Orisi Baleitavea told the chiefs that a letter would be written to the church-head in Bua.
Ratu Orisi said the province and all the people of Bua did not belong to the Methodist Church but to other religions as well which should be respected.
He said the pleas from the church would be put on hold until the chiefs meet mid-this year allowing them to discuss the issue.
"We respect the request from the church but we need to be considerate of people belonging to other religious groups and that also need to be respected," he said.