On September 7th, Jubilee USA sent a letter to the head of the IMF urging a moratorium on debt payments until Irma-struck islands can recover. The Antilles Episcopal Conference, part of Jubilee Caribbean, also issued a letter to the IMF.

Please add your voice and sign our petition to the IMF to suspend debt payments for countries devastated by Irma.

See Jubilee USA's letter linked here or pasted below.

September 7, 2017

Dear Managing Director Lagarde,

We are grateful for the IMF’s desire to aid those countries impacted by Hurricane Irma. We also appreciate your continued leadership with the IMF’s emphasis on gender equality and addressing global inequality.

On behalf of Jubilee USA’s nearly 700 national and local faith institutions, we invite the IMF to implement an immediate moratorium on debt payments for countries severely impacted by the Category 5 storm until they have rebuilt and recovered. For example, the nation of Antigua and Barbuda has almost $3 million in debt payments due to the Fund today and a debt payment moratorium could immediately be put into rebuilding Barbuda where almost the entire population is homeless.

We would also encourage the use of grants, as opposed to loans, for islands recovering from the crisis.

We and our membership continue to hold you and all who work at the IMF in our prayers as you address global poverty and inequality.

Respectfully,

                 

Beatrice Parwatikar                                  Reverend Stacy Martin

Co-chair                                                           Co-Chair

                         

Reverend Aniedi Okure                          Reverend Steve Herder

Treasurer                                                         Secretary

Eric LeCompte

Executive Director