Bertie! - Tell G8
Debt Kills!

Feet on the Street Event 8th June 2004

What a day! Supporters came from the North, West, South and East of the country.
They came to make their presence count in a public way, outside the Stephens Green Shopping Centre.

Banners were hung, international flags were flying, music was playing and we had the solo performance from Ruari Somers on his Uileann Pipes from Navan. Flyers were given out to interested passer byes who stopped to hear what it was all about.

International visitors were interested once they realised what we were about and that they too have similar events in their own countries and of course we were not collecting money.
Our message was clear, we were calling on our Taoiseach Mr Bertie Ahern to make his presence count at the G8 meeting in Georgia from 8/10th June on behalf of the poorest countries in our world.

Agnes Mary and Fionnuala O'Hanlon, from St. Louis Sisters, Midletown, Co. Armagh came: "we believe in the necessity of cancelling the debt and stand in solidarity with those working so hard to make sure that the promises are kept".

Sr.Nora Costigan, Mercy Sister from Callan Co. Kilkenny said:"There wouldn't have been need for a constitutional referendum if we had supported the cancellation of the debt. People have be deprived of their way of livelihood through poverty".

Margaret Healy came from the Burren in the Banner County. Having left at 7am "I feel so strongly about the need for debt cancellation. People are dying of hunger while their governments are having to pay debt payments".

Angie Escarsa (Philippines) working in Mayfield, Cork "The third world needs cancellation to live"

Michael O'Sullivan from the Columban Mission Education office in Dalgan, Navan when asked what needs to be done?

"The third world debt crisis has now gone on for nearly three decades. Cancelling the unpayable debts of developing countries would allow them to escape from this intolerable burden. All that is lacking is enough political will to put an end to the problem".

Angelo Lafferty from Cork had an early breakfast 6am "a group of us came to see, hear and look to see what we can do in a public way in Cork to enhance the call for 100% debt cancellation".

Delia O'Connor and Rita Grimes came from Limerick and stepping in and out of the crowd with good fashion humour, dance and colour.

We were a group of 40/50 people at any one time, with a good solid base of Dubs to keep the banter craic and enthusiasm up when trying to raise public awareness about the Debt Crisis on a busy street swarming with political posters.

Well done one and all and yes our cumulative activities have had an effect - Our Taoiseach raised the issue of total debt cancellation at the G8 Summit. Plus there's cracks appearing in the G8 opposition to debt cancellation.

Watch out for our IMF / World Bank 60th Anniversary Card Campaign…