The Office of the Auditor General has raised concerns that despite making recommendations for a number of years, no legal action has been initiated against the Methodist Church of Fiji to recover the money owed to the government since 1994.

In response to questions from Village News, the Office of the AG also confirmed that there is no official agrangement between the Government and the Methodist Church to write off the $435,000 owed by the church for the maintenance and repair of the Ba Mission Hospital.

Officials confirm that under an originating formal agreement, the Methodist Church was to pay the government $35,000 annually for the Ba Mission Hospital, and despite continuous attempts the matter has been ignored by the Church for years with arrears increasing gradually.

The Auditor General's Office is expected to conduct its annual audit within the Health Ministry shortly and believe that the amount owed by the Church could exceed the stated amount.

The Health Ministry also confirms that no legal action has been initiated so far to recover the money and they are awaiting further instructions from the Interim Health Minister who has indicated that the step will be taken. Executives of the Methodist Church of Fiji will decide at the annual conference in Naduri Macuata next week whether to pay the government the outstanding debt or find another solution to settle the matter.