MEDIA REACTION ON DEBT FORGIVENESS, AUGUST 9, 2005

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001684 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR WHA/PD; IIP/G/WHA DIPASQUALE; AND IIP/T/ES DEPT. FOR PM AND EB/TRA DEPT. FOR WHA/EPSC, WHA/PPC AND WHA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KPAO PGOV MASS EAID HO SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON DEBT FORGIVENESS, AUGUST 9, 2005 ¶2. On 08/09 the Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" published an op-ed by Eduardo Enrique Reina Garcia entitled "Debt Forgiveness, a Moral Debt for Honduras." "The G-8 debt forgiveness has generated discussion nationwide. The most delicate and important thing is the nationwide and worldwide effort by many people and institutions to reflect upon the obligatory question: `What to do with the opportunity given to us by debt relief?'" "Our true responsibility as a government, of which we all are a part without exception, reemerges towards an external debt that has come from a past full of abuse, deficient administrations, corruption, etc.. Because of these, the resources that should have been used for our development haven't fulfilled their functions, increasing poverty and lack of opportunities." "As for debt forgiveness, our moral debt is big. Our responsibility as a government is something that we have to face firmly and with a clear conscience." "It is said in Honduras that our children are born with debt, but we are about to change that and leave a different reality to those generations to come. This will only be achieved with a change of mentality, investment in social cohesion, and a fight against inequality. If others have done it we also can, and in that way we will pay off our moral debt." Tuebner