By Deli Oso
Press Secretary to the Prime Minister
PM Praises SDA Church For Recognising Youths
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare this morning commended the Seventh Day Adventist Church for recognizing youths as
leaders of today.
Mr Sogavare was speaking at the close of this year's national youth congress of the SDA Church at its Congress Silver
Camp Ground in Burns Creek.
The second annual convention brought together hundreds of youths and youth leaders from the church's 10 national regions
for a series of comprehensive character development programme.
The event also provides an opportunity for the leadership of the church to hear from its fieldworkers and provincial
members after the first year of implementing its one- mission policy.
Guest speakers at the week-long convention were the Youth Directors of the SDA Church's South Pacific Division and the
Transpacific Union Mission, Pastor Gilbert Cangy from Mauritus and Pastor Sione Ausage from Samoa.
Prime Minister Sogavare said youths had all the excuses to be criminals today because they were not recognised by the
community.
However he said it was a delight to leaders like him to see the church started engaging in programmes focused on
instilling discipline and feelings of responsibility in youths to become responsible citizens.
He said his Grand Coalition for Change Government was mindful of the challenges facing the country including a growing
younger and aggressive population and thus it was determined to implement policies that would address those challenges
with the cooperation of the community including the churches.
"We have a collective responsibility as a country to invest in the development of our youth population because by not
doing so would tantamount to investing in disaster. This is a warning we cannot afford to neglect.
"It is the duty of the churches under the great commission to make sure the work of saving souls in their immediate
vicinity is supported.
Mr Sogavare said the SDA church's uniformed youth and community service movement was a shining example of a
well-organised and structured youth development programme for holistic youth development.
The Prime Minister also commended the SDA church for its services in the fields of education and health as well as its
other contributions towards national development.
ENDS