In the name of God

Cover Stories

In the name of God Questions arise over Australian church appeal for Fiji’s cyclone victims

By Bernadette Hussein

million - for property damage alone.

“After discussions within our office, we felt that, given the information we had, it was not unreasonable to use the words ‘with damage to property, crops and fruit trees estimated to be as high as $lOO mil lion’,” said the Reverend Fitzgerald, whose signature appeared in the Partners maga zine appeal.

The appeal card said: “The request we received indicated that eight people were killed and at least 18 are still missing with damage to property, crops and fruit trees estimated to be as high as $lOO million...”

The secretary of the Methodist Church’s Department of Christian Citizenship and Social Services, Paula Sotutu, said that when the request was lodged with the mission, the department quoted the official DISMAC figure. But, Sotutu qualified, the department had men tioned that there could be some hidden costs.

“There was never a mention of $lOO

In March, Fiji was struck by

Cyclone Gavin. In April,

Partners - a magazine published in Sydney, Australia, by Uniting Church World Mission - ran an appeal for Fiji’s cyclone victims.

Fiji’s National Disaster Management Centre (DISMAC) estimated cyclone dam age to crop and property to be in the vicin ity of $F33.4 million (SUS 23 million).

The Uniting Church appeal was seeking $lOO million - the ad did not specify the unit of currency.

When Pacific Islands Monthly ques tioned Uniting Church World Mission about this figure, the Reverend Laurie Fitzgerald said the inflated figure was an estimate on the part of the mission. The amount quoted by the Methodist Cnurch of Fiji, the reverend said, was, in fact, $33.4

million,” he said. The Reverend Tomasi Kanailagi, general secretary of the Methodist Church, was reluc tant to comment on the matter, saying he could not talk about the role of the mission. He did, however, add that he had no idea the figure of $ 100 million had been used.

The Methodist Church had, to date, received $25,000 from the mission, the church said.

This amount corresponded with what the mission said it had sent.

Cyclone Gavin was one of the worst to hit Fiji in a long time with severe losses to property and belongings.

Eight were reported dead.

A fishing boat lost at sea during the cyclone has not been found - nor has its crew of 10. ■

The appeal in Partners magazine