MEDIA REACTION ON DEBT FORGIVENESS, AUGUST 23, 2005

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001773 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 23, 2005 ¶1. On 07/26 the Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily, "La Tribuna," published an op-ed by Oscar Antonio Oyuela entitled "I Can't!" "We are an undeveloped country because we have a `negativism syndrome' and prejudices such as: `I'm embarrassed to do that' or `I can't.' If we don't change our mentality we will continue to carry these burdens and will let them conquer us and crush our right to think." "We shouldn't allow national and international sociologists to declare that we lack initiative and morals. We can prove them wrong if we show that we are willing to work hard, at fair salaries, of course. We can invent and have creativity and administrative ability." "To make this possible we must be firmly committed to building a national educational project that will develop a new man who will generate wealth and be capable of innovation." "The political and economic elite have the valuable opportunity to make changes in the judicial, economic, and cultural structures so that the country will have efficient institutions that guarantee equal opportunities and fast answers to social demands. Let's not forget that these changes are requirements established by international financial organizations so that the debt forgiveness will help us get out of the poverty and terrible ignorance that we are currently suffering." "CAFTA, G-8 debt forgiveness, and the direct North American aid are part of a `Marshall Plan' that will allow us to fight against poverty." "There is no justification for us to continue blaming someone else for our misfortunes, and even less to blame the `North American Imperialism' that is - giving us a hand to improve our future. We are architects of our own destiny: either we rise like the Japanese and Europeans did or we will be `Africanized.'" Williard