Let the faifeau pay his dues

Dear Editor,

Re: Church cautions govt.

We all know that our culture serves the pastor beyond its duty. 

Whether it’s wedding, funerals, birthday celebration and the occasion house visit, pastors receive monetary gifts that are not captured as a taxable income.

Some of these pastors receive thousands of dollars of these type of gifts in value each month. 

They receive them via cash, food and other materials such as fine mats and ie.

With all these undocumented gifts, each pastor should be able to pay tax on the offering (alofa). 

In my experience, the offering represent a fraction of what the church and villages gives to each pastor each month. Some congregations are made up of small families. 

The pastor may only receives $200 as alofa. 

But he and his family will receive upwards of ten times that during the month from his other activities each month. 

We as people and our culture serve the faifeau and his family seven days a week. When we invite a faifeau to bless a family gathering or a small birthday celebration, the family is expected to gift the faifeau with money and food for his family. We are not expected to do either/or but both.

 

Therefore, I support the proposed plan to tax the monthly offering (alofa) for the faifeau. The tax should be paid for by the faifeau and not the congregation.

 

T. Leone

Samoa Observer

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