Bishop Choennie mentions debt issue in Christmas message
Karel Choennie, Bishop of Paramaribo, on Sunday mentioned the debt issue in his Christmas message. The leader of the Roman Catholic church in Suriname explained that although Jesus Christ saved mankind of debts, people keep drowning themselves in deeper debts that are of financial, social, ecological and moral nature. Bishop Choennie pointed out that countries in the world are carrying a total debt of $60 trillion and that as a result of this each citizen in the world is stuck with a debt of $8,000. “The sad truth is that many people of the current generation will have to pay off this debt without knowing to who and what for.
The Surinamese situation is not much better. The government has taken so many loans that they accumulate to SRD 11 billion which comes down to SRD 24,000 per Surinamese citizen,” said the bishop who expressed concerned about the fact that the Surinamese government has put financial burdens on the shoulders of the people. “Will the youths of this nation ever be able to pay off these debts?” The bishop pointed out that one must not leave behind debts but an inheritance that can provide benefits. “There is enough food and there are enough natural resources for everybody on Earth.
Only 1% of the people on Earth have more money and possessions that the remaining 99%. A small portion of the people lives in unbelievable wealth and at the same time 1 billion people are starving every day. This has resulted in an ecological debt because society is driven by a greed for money and profit and the urge to lead a celebrity life style that it is destroying the environment and Earth.
Despite the debt issue, there is still hope in this troublefilled world,” said the bishop as he referred to the fact that a growing number of people are taking to the streets to protest against the debt burden that is being placed on the shoulders of the poor and the youths. “There is a growing awareness that people must switch to a lifestyle of soberness and helpfulness. We must build our country and future ourselves,” said Bishop Choennie.