December 23, 1998
According to Major Cliff Gangpat, Commander of the Military Police the MP's should be reinstalled as an investigating arm of the law to help curb the wave of brutal crime that the country is now experiencing. This was announced at the ending of the skeleton training which a selected group had successfully followed. Minister of defence Dwarka Panday who was also present gave a short speech in which he commended Major Gangpat's ideas of reorganizing and adjusting the Corps. He called the group that had passed the training "Pioneers" because they were the first group in the 90's to light the way to a more professional defence organization. The last skeleton training was held back in 1984.
Suriname Coast Traders has received a part of the money owed to them by the Government for the ferry services.This took place yesterday after a meeting with the Minister of Transport Dick de Bie. TCT has promised to come up with proposals for further payments of the debt in the near future. Coast Traders has decided to continue the ferry services at Boskamp-Jenny for the Xmas Holidays but stated that if no definate solution was received from the side of the government by Dec 28 they would be forced to stop the ferry services. Coast Traders also stated that the accusations made by the Minister of Finance Tjan Gobardhan are for his own account. The Minister had accused SCT of blackmailing the State with its decision.
Presiden Jules Wijdenbosch along with 10 other witnesses have been subpoenaed for the "Case Bouterse". This took place yesterday after the Hague's Judge I de Vries deceided to close the preliminary legal investigations. Desi Bouterse, Suriname's Advisor of State has been accused by the Dutch Authorities of drug trafficing and a case has been drawn up against him in Holland. Because of this being a labourios deed theDutch have put out an International Wanted Order on Bouterse. Abraham Moszkowicz, legal advisor to Bouterse is not in favor of the Judge's decision because he feels that all witnesses should first be heard before taking such a step. The Judge has decided not to wait and has reached an agreement with the lawyer that should any witnesses decide to come forward the Dutch Public Prosecutor would advise the Court to have them heard. With the closing of the investigation Bouterse has been subpoenaed. Bouterse has stated that he had no problems in travelling to Holland to be heard in this trial but that he should be given Security and Holland should revoke the Internationa Wanted Order on him.