Church taxes

Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi met a delegation of more than 20 elders and ministers of the church on Monday.

Under a new law church ministers will have to pay tax from next month but the Congregational Christian Church, which is Samoa's largest, has said this goes against its faith.

Tuilaepa said the cabinet would respond in writing to the church.

Speaking to the media on the issue recently, Tuila'epa said no government would be controlled and directed from outside.

A new law in Samoa to start taxing the incomes of church ministers is set to begin next month. 

Samoa's largest church EFKS is refusing to pay the tax.

Dunedin's Samoan Methodist Church Minister Reverend Tualagi Ah Yek says it's going to be a huge issue for Samoa's government.

"I do believe that there will be a big shift if EFKS don't want to pay their tax," he says. 

"That will be a big issue for the government of Samoa because the majority of the people of Samoa belongs to the EFKS."