Million sent to support Tuingapapai’s new hall as financial aid declined by Pulelaʻā leaders revealed

The Free Wesleyan Church headquarter in Tonga had donated $1.7 million to help finish building the Tuingapapai church in New Zealand.

The Free Wesleyan Church in Māngere, Auckland encountered financial management problems while constructing its multi-million church hall at 143 Favona Road.

But the church members now can celebrate their new hall tomorrow  Saturday, December 10.

The Tuingapapai church construction fell behind schedule and costs were higher than expected, Rev Dr Tēvita Havea, the Church General Secretary, said.

Dr Havea said because of the problems the Church’s headquarter in Tonga stepped in to help according to its policy.

Attempts to talk to the Tuingapapai office and their  treasurer, Rev Filipe Sāmate, to obtain costs and details of the size of the hall  were unsuccessful.

A Tongan constructor has estimated the hall to be at about 90 metres square and 8-10 metres high. He estimated the cost  at between NZ$4-6 million.

Dr Havea said Tuingapapai had money as they had just paid cash for two properties in South Auckland. He said the purchases should have been put on hold to make sure the new hall was properly funded.

Before the construction took place, the church bought a NZ$1.8 million property near Tuingapapai. This showed the church had enough money but they did not manage their finances properly, Dr Havea told Kaniva News.

He said if the church collected the money needed for the construction properly and paid just one construction company to do the building the project would have been “short, clear and cheap.”

“The vahefonua (Tuingapapai church) invested money while it should not because it had to spend on its construction”, Dr Havea said.

He said the Tongan Headquarter had talked with Tuingapapai’s board of trustees in October and they agreed the New Zealand church would sell one of its property to pay back the $1.7 million if needed.

He said the church has two properties near Tuingapapai. One of them is known as Omeia has a market value of $4 – 5 million. The other has the same value.

Dr Havea said it was important for the headquarter to help its vahefonua ensure the construction was completed so it could continue its role for its Christian followers.

He said the $1.7 million given to Tuingapapai was not a loan by the vahefonua. It was just a donation to support its construction, something the Headquarter has done for other churches.

Dr Havea said the FWC churches had problems with their building from time to time.

This was because of additional items being added to the main plan after it was approved.

“Some churches, after they approved their estimate, later wanted to add on a fence or tiles but that was not included in the original estimate”, Havea said.

The same thing happened to Tuingapapai’s construction,  he said.

Difference between Pulelaʻā and Tuingapapai

Dr Havea has revealed that the Tongan headquarter made the same offer for its troubled Pulelaʻā church in Sydney, when it was liquidated by the bank four years ago, but the Pulelaʻā leaders did not want the assistance.

The Pulelaʻā properties were seized by Westpac and resold after the community was engulfed in a financial scandal which costs the church over AU$20 million.

Dr Havea did not say whether the Headquarter would have offerred to clear Pulelaʻā’s debts or not.

The Pulelaʻā leaders told the Headquarter they did not want financial assistance. They only needed prayer, Dr Havea said.

Despite the repeated attempts by the Headquarter to help Pulelaʻā, they continued to turn down offers of assistance.

Instead, they fell into debt and believed in make believe promises offered by an Indian Trust and never trusted the church’s headquarter, Dr Havea said.

Dr Havea said the difference between Tuingapapai and Pulelaʻā was that Tuingapapai humbly accepted the church’s donation and support, but “Pharaoh continued his arrogance” and never listened and they now were separated from the Church conference.

The main points

  • The Free Wesleyan Church headquarter in Tonga had donated $1.7 million to help finish building the Tuingapapai church in New Zealand.
  • The Free Wesleyan Church in Māngere, Auckland encountered financial management problems while constructing its multi-million church hall at 143 Favona Road.
  • But the church members now can celebrate their new hall this Saturday, December 10.
  • The Tuingapapai church construction fell behind schedule and costs were higher than expected, Rev Dr Tevita Havea, the Church General Secretary, said.

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