Close to 10 ministers of the Christian Mission Fellowship church have tendered their resignation because of the ‘No jab no job’ policy.
Church media director Joe Kurulo confirmed the pastors were not forced to resign but had resigned on of their own free will and the church respected their decision.
“If they feel they want to tender their resignation, we will respect that,” he said. “Since the policy came into act, the church is now looked at as a workplace and, therefore, all of its officeholders need to be vaccinated or else the church would cop heavy fines.
“Ministers are being given until November to get vaccinated but their decisions not to be vaccinated or to be vaccinated would be respected by the church.”
Meanwhile, Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma secretary for communications and overseas mission, the Reverend Wilfred Regunamada said the church had not laid off any of its ministers because of the policy nor had it forced ministers to resign.
“Currently, we are carrying out awareness for our ministers and they are being given time, until November, to get their vaccines,” he said.
“The church’s stand is mainly to ensure the safety of its members which means that its ministers, who are servants of the people, need to be vaccinated first.
“At the moment, those that have not been vaccinated have been requested not to partake in any church services but have been advised to stay in their own homes and they are still being paid.”
