[File Photo]

The Grace Road Group has announced a halt to its new projects and business expansion plans.

They cited ongoing legal challenges and media scrutiny as key factors influencing this decision.

In a statement, the group voiced frustration over what it described as baseless media reports and biased accusations, claiming that its reputation has been unjustly tarnished.

The decision to pause future business activities comes as the organization is already grappling with legal proceedings, including the detention of its key members.

According to the Group, they have invested hundreds of millions of dollars into Fiji’s economy and provided close to 900 jobs, contributing millions in taxes annually.

They have expressed concern and described the media as “toxic”. According to the Grace Road Group, recent reports, including one from a local newspaper have unnecessarily dragged the organization’s name into personal family matters, damaging its public image.

According to the article published by the newspaper, a woman who was a member of the church claimed that she escaped last week.

She claimed that she was physically beaten up and other workers also go through the same form of punishment.

Grace Road refuted the claims stating that the specific case in question involves a family dispute within the Grace Road community, which the group says was exploited by the media for sensationalism.

The group emphasized that it had stayed out of the issue, allowing the family to address their differences privately but was disappointed when the media chose to sensationalize the matter and place undue focus on the Grace Road Church.

The statement went on to address other previous media reports including a sensationalized article on October 25, 2023, alleging mistreatment of elderly members on the group’s Navua farm.

Grace Road Group has firmly rejected these claims, pointing out that no further investigation by the police was conducted and that the initial report lacked evidence.

Despite the setbacks, including legal battles and the ongoing detention of the group’s president, Grace Road stated that it remains committed to its operations in Fiji, but the statement made it clear that ongoing challenges have made it increasingly difficult to move forward with business expansion.

Grace Road Group reiterated that misinformation, legal entanglements and negative press can have far-reaching consequences on business operations and foreign investors are not immune to the challenges presented by a complicated media landscape.