SUVA: A Hindu religious organisation is willing to help the 23 homeless people at a Catholic shelter going through administrational bickering.

The Society of St Vincent de Paul has been asking members and the public to fork out what they can to help people at the Brown Street home, said interim president Ranadi Naqelevuki. Last week, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, helped the shelter by providing cooked meals and they are willing to do so this weekend. ISKCON president Dr Rajesh Maharaj said if the administrators of St Vincent de Paul approached them, they were willing to give help on a regular basis.

“The food program is through our Food for Life distribution centre where we have been providing cooked meals for the old people’s home and orphanages” said Dr Maharaj.

Meanwhile, daily sales of second-hand clothing at the Ozanam House on Raojibhai Patel St in Suva, has been the biggest earner of income for the Society.

Society co-ordinator Hensey Peters said they sold clothes at a below-profit margin so money can be earned to buy food.

The Society’s bank accounts were frozen after a directive from the International Council, appointing Ben Hazelman as the interim president.

Ms Naqelevuki is disputing the directive saying they were appointed by the national council. She looks after the old and disabled.

“We cant afford a fulltime caretaker. People do not realise this. About $500 is needed to feed the 23 people each week.

People and the Society has also not been able to pay workers at the Ozanam House.

Archbishop Petero Maraca has said that the matter was outside the administration of the Catholic Church as the Society was a lay organisation.