Haiti

Send a Letter to the Editor of Your Local Newspaper Today!

Both the media and some public officials have begun to talk about the possibility of cancelling Haiti's remaining debt. Now is the time to raise our voices and call for massive assistance for relief and reconstruction in the form of grants, not loans, and the cancellation of the rest of Haiti's debt. Write a letter to your local paper today.

Click below to select a newspaper and edit the text or write your own letter.

REMEMBER: Your letter has a MUCH better chance of being published if it is personalized and responds to an article in your local paper.

Step 1 - Select a Recipient

First look at the local paper you select and find a relevant article to which you can respond. Make sure to mention the article in the letter:

Step 2 - Write your message

Subject:

Your Letter:

As reported in your newspaper, hunger, thirst, lack of shelter and healthcare must be our primary concerns in Haiti. Already nations have mobilized resources to help in the rescue. Another effective and concrete way the global community can help is debt cancellation.

Though much of the country's debt was cancelled in 2009, Haiti still owes $1 billion. Over the next five years, without taking on any new debt, the country will have to pay more than 100 million to the IMF and the Inter-American Development Bank. This is precious money that could - and should - be used to help to rebuild the country.

I welcome the news that the International Monetary Fund has committed to debt cancellation and urge them to act fast. The Inter-American Development Bank is considering canceling and should do so immediately.

Across the world, debt cancellation has allowed countries to direct money to education and health care. The last thing Haiti needs is to spend the little money it has paying past debts instead of on reconstruction.

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