JUDGES IGNORES NEW WORK ROSTER VELDAMA
Members of the High Court continue to show their opposition towards the New President of the
Court of Justice Mr alfred Veldama and the Attorney-General Mrs Heloise Rozenblad. Court
members have chosen to ignore the new work roster that Veldama had sent them and will
continue to work under the old one that was written out by Vice-President of the Court Mr John
von Niesewand. The new roster has drastically changed the schedules of the Judges. According to
the new schedule Von Niesewand will no longer act as Justice of Peace or as a Judge in short
action cases. He will be replaced by Ewald Ombre. The Courts members will not recognize the
appointments of Veldama and Rozenblad until the normal legal procedures for such have been
followed. According to Hugo Essed, Chairman of the Junior Bar this action of Veldama's is a
result of the motion that was taken by the National Assembly which is being passed up by the
Court as having no constitutional or Judicial value and to which the Court will soon react.
Geetapersad Gangaram Panday, Acting Dean of the Order of Lawyers, stated that the lawyers
were prepared to fight a long and difficult battle to have the appointments revoked and have
planned actions as far as February 1999 at which time they intend to hold an International
Congress of Lawyers. The lawyers are accusing the government of frustrating their efforts of
normalizing the situatation at the Judiciary by their constant interferences.
Civil servants and teachers who are involved in carrying out actions will not be paid their salaries
over the month of November. Since it is difficult to determine if those who were alledged to have
worked have truly done so, the government will only pay half of their salaries. It has not yet been
worked out how they will pay those who have only worked for a few hours a day. Robby
Naarendorp, Chairman of the FOLS has stated that it has been said that the Government will not
pay the salaries this month, but that such a decision will only make matters worse. The workers
are dissatisfied and the government, instead of enforcing penalties, should try to seek
a solution that will get the people back on the job.
At a joint meeting of all Opposition Parties, Labor Unions and Suriname Business enterprises, it
was agreed upon that all businesses will close their doors on thursday and friday. In the
meanwhile letters are being sent to OAS and the CARICOM explaining the reason for the actions
that are being carried out and the dictatorial attitude of the government. The FOLS have also
reported that the schools will remain closed. According to the first report 53 percent of the
educational activities are being carried out, later this was registered as being 75 percent.
WATER CANNONS WILL NOT BE USED AGAINST PROTESTERS
Corps Chief and Upper Fire Chief Carlo Hunsel has reported that the fire department does not
have water cannons and even if they did they would not be used against the protestors. Hunsel
made this statement in a reaction to a report that stated that he had given the fire department the
order to use water cannons on the demonstrators. This again is in contradiction to the statement
made by Union leader John Seedorf of the Fire Brigade Union who stated that Hunsel did give the
order to use water cannons on the demonstrators but the order was neglected by the members of
this brigade. After a complete evaluation of the situation was made by the crisis team of the police
the result was that the situation was under control and that there was no cause for concern.
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