December 17, 1998

STATE OIL SIGNS CONTRACT WITH PETROTRIN

Yesterday the State Oil Company (STAATSOLIE) signed a delivery contract for petrolium with the Trinidadian Oil Company PETROTRIN .This will increase the earnings of Staatsolie with US$ 40 million over the next two years. The signing of this important contract took place at the Cabinet of the Vice-President and was done by Mark Waaldijk for Staatsolie while R. Jagai signed for Petrotrin. Waaldijk stated that this contract should be seen in the frame of an expansion program of Staatsolie. Petrotrin and Staatsolie have had a good business relationship in the past few years and Waaldijk called Petrotrin a good partner because his company has the oil and Petrotrin the refining capacity. An earlier contract with the Trinidadian Oil Comapany where Staatsolie sent oil to Petrotrin for refining and bought back the refined product has expired. The new delivery amount is higher and the price better. Staatsolie must deliver between 110,000 and 175,000 barrels of petrolium to Petrotrin. Minister of Natural Resources, Errol Alibux who was present at the signing of the contract said he hoped that the good relations between the two oil companies would get better. the joint venture with the Canadian company KOCH for the winning of oil in the Tambaredjofields should in no way wipe out the face of Petrotrin who as a Caricom partner along with Staatsolie can work together for the economy and prosperity of both countries and welfare of the nations.

QUALITY COMPANY-DOCTORS AND MEDICARE PROMOTED

Directors and company doctors from 35 prominent Suriname businesses came together on Sunday in Hotel Torarica to start the formation of what will be known as the Association of Companies Medicare (ABD). This gathering has as goal the promotion of the quality of company doctors and medicare towards those entited to it and controling the costs of Medicare for the companies. During the meeting a workgroup was set up that will be involved in the prepartions of this venture. A few members of the workgroup are Mrs F Thijm, Dircetor of Hakrinbank, Dr D Currie, Under-director of Telesur, and Dr R Kort from Suralco's Medical Department. The companies that were represented at this gathering are all from the economic sector that together have a clientele of about 60,000 persons.

GOVERNMENT WILL BEGIN MONDAY WITH HOME ALLOTMENTS

The government will start on Monday to allot the homes at the government housingscheme to those registered at the Institute of People's Accomodations (Stichting Volkshuisvesting). This was decided yesterday at a meeting of the Board of Ministers. Minister Moestadja of Social Affairs announced during the STVS news that during the meeting the criteria for the allotment were determined. Those registerd to receive a home will be scanned for income, the size of the family and the urgency for owning a home. The homes will then be distributed to those who have been registered for longer than five years. The first 50 homes will be alloted on Monday. The Minister said that the government intends to allot the homes in the future before they are completed, this will be done during the buiding stage. After monday 50 homes will continuously be alloted.

GOVERNMENT MUST PAY CIVIL WORKERS

Government workers who are carrying out actions and who as a result of this have not received their salaries will be paid. This was announced by Mr Coen Ooft the State's legal advisor. The CLO had taken the State to court to pay the workers. Mr Coen Ooft has informed the Judge Mr John von Niessewand of the Government decision to pay the workers. The Lawyer admitted that there was a communication mix up between the different services at the ministries and the workers carryout actions.