Apenisa Waqairadovu 
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says he has no issue with Fiji being called a Christian state.
Rabuka made the comment while opening the annual general meeting for the Methodist Church Suva Circuit.
He says that in such a state, people of other religions are still free to worship and practice their faith, and that Christianity should never be forced on anyone.
However, he believes this idea is harder to justify now more than ever, given the growing social issues within the Christian community.
Rabuka says that people of other faiths are observing that Christians make up the highest number of those incarcerated, the highest number of perpetrators of domestic violence, and are heavily involved in the cultivation, sale, and use of marijuana.
He briefly refers to the recent deaths of two women, allegedly due to domestic violence, and recounts his visit to Wailea Settlement in Vatuwaqa, where he sees young people on the streets under the influence of drugs.
Rabuka raises his concern and urges church leaders to address these issues from the pulpit, saying it is time the church speaks out about the realities affecting communities.
He adds that while there may have been other expectations when he was invited to speak, he chooses to focus on what he believes matters most, and that is confronting the social problems that continue to grow.
Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
