Transcript
After several years of construction and delays, the opening of the new Jubilee church at Malua began with formalities such as the presentation of traditional gifts like fine mats, before a church service dedication and then a feast. Our correspondent Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia says close to one thousand people attended the celebrations.
"It was fully packed and was attended by the Head of State and his good lady, the Prime Minister, cabinet ministers, church leaders, especially the Congregational Christian Church leaders from overseas and here in Samoa."
Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia says the cost of the church's construction was close to US $6.7 million, or 17 million tala. He says a loan from the Samoa National Provident Fund was needed to help finance the build.
"It's a lot of money, I can tell you. But I spoke to the general secretary [of the church] before the dedication ceremony and he said well this is the fruit of the church people's labour to serve God."
The church first agreed to the construction four years ago but Autagavaia says its completion and official opening should have happened last year.
"However in 2015, there was a lot of financial difficulty faced by the church because of the cost of construction of materials and it delayed the dedication from last year to this year and there was a lot of disappointment in the church."
The church contracted Chinese company, Shanghai construction, as the main builder. But a New Zealand company Techlam, which manufactures laminated timber products, designed and manufactured the roof. Company spokesperson Nathan Simmons says roof beams spanning 22-metres had to be constructed to sit on massive concrete walls that had already been put into place by another company and make sure it met cyclone standards.
"It's a growing area for us to the islands and certainly a lot of interesting projects up there and for us, each project has a lot of challenges as far as engineering and cost expectations and delivery. The design was probably the most challenging. Working with an existing structural and partly existing design and working out a roof that could go on to that."
Among the gifts presented for the church opening, close to US$400 thousand was given from the church women's council.
