Jun 10, 2005
Author: Mr Gee
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I was actually introduced as "Poet Mr Gee who has one of London's most interesting Blogs on his website!" (which was news to me, I didn't think that the Gee Chronicles reached so far!!). The show consisted of myself and another author perusing through the national papers and discussing stories of interest.

With Live 8 very much so in the news, the issue of Third World Debt was the focus for much of the show. I tried to explain that many of the so-called Third World countries are actually materially rich, but their wealth never translates down to the average man and woman in the villages. We all drink coffee and tea, eat chocolate and consume sugar on a daily basis. Yet the countries which produce these bare essentials are the ones where poverty is most rife. Between the huge multi-national corporations, the puppet dictatorships that exist in these countries and the war-torn legacy of colonisation, the issue of Third World Debt is a much more complicated subject than the picture of helpless Africans that we always see on our screens.

The conversation was lively, it had serious moments when the issue of race was raised, but on the whole it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.