October 27, 1998
President Wijdenbosch's explanation for not increasing the civil servants salaries because this
could bring about further inflation has been brushed aside by the CLO that is now contemplating
what actions to take in order to get the 100 percent loan increase they are after. According to the
CLO the President's explanation is a mere attempt at escape from the panic situation that he has
created through his way of dealing with the salaries of the government workers. The FOLS is
also perplexed at the statements made by both the President as the Minister of Internal Affairs in
this matter. FOLS strongman Robby Naarendorp wanted to know if the increase that the
Government has granted itsself and the Army would not have any consequences. He also passed
off the explanation of the President that he had followed the law in raising the Directors salaries as
a joke. The CLO pointed out that the President has cunningly increased his income with F54
million more per year,also that of the Vice-President and all his Ministers including the Army with
100 percent and expects that the rest of the Government workers will sit back and wait on the
prices in the shops to reduce as the Government had promised. The FOLS said that the President
and Minister Kertodijojo are acting as though they had asked for purchase power support after
the Army had received their loan increases. This is totally untrue since there had been discussions
about this dating back to January.After these discussions were broken off the FOLS again
appealed in a letter to Minister Kertowidjojo in July to resume the discussions that were about a
social package. An attempt was also made through the new Minister of Education,
Ramsundersingh to get the cluster ministers to receive the FOLS for further discussions of this
matter.There has been no reaction from Kertowidjojo. Both the FOLS and the CLO criticized the
way in which the President has increased his income, that of his group and the Army for the
second time this year. Naarendorp considers the Governments action of increasing their salaries
before presenting the reconstruction plan a smart move on their part. He considers the
reconstruction plan a second adjustment program. He also stated that he does not believe in a
reduction of prices since this was promised to the FOLS in March last year and no reduction has
so far taken place.The CLO stated that the civil servants will not pay the price for an incompetent
government and would like to have the same 100 percent increase as that of the President and his
team .
Letters that were sent to the Attorney General Mrs Heloise Rozenblad and to the President of
Justice Mr Veldema have been returned unopened to the Lawyers Association that sent
them.These letter were meant to advise both parties to voluntary resign from their appointed posts
so that the constitutional conflict that arose from these appointments could be settled by dialogue
without Veldema and Rozenblad being part of it. Since both letters were returned unopened , the
lawyers are very disappointed with this action that could be interpreted as though the parties did
not appreciate communications with them or with the organization.
President Janet Jagan of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana is scheduled to pay a State visit to
Suriname on October 30 and 31. The Guyanese President is interested in working together with
Suriname in the areas of bauxite, fisheries,power, trade and forestry and the new ferry connections
over the Corantijn river. Mrs Jagan expects to sign an agreement with President Wijdenbosch
allowing Guyanese fishers and in Guyana registered foreign vessels permission to fish in
Suriname waters.This visit of President Jagan who will be accompanied by the Guyanese
Ministers of External Affairs and Agriculture is being planned by a commision that is led by Dr
Henk Alimahomed director of the Ministry of External Affairs.It is strange that no Guyana
specilists were included in this commission and the fact that Minister Snijders will not make use of
Engineer Henry Illes who up until a year ago was our Ambassador in Guyana and is well informed
over the Guyanese-Suriname relations makes one wonder at the outcome of this meeting that is
begining to look as though a well informed President Jagan will sit down with an inadequately
advised President Wijdenbosch, the outcome of which can be very interesting indeed.
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