29 oktober 1998
LAWYERS TO HOLD MEETING OVER REVOKING APPOINTMENTS
The ultimatum that the lawyers had given President Wijdenbosch has expired
yesterday with no reaction from the side of the President. The lawyers
have decided to take further actions to have the appointments of the Attorney-General
and the President of the Court of Justice revoked and will hold a meeting
today in Hotel Torarica. The meeting which was first scheduled to be held
at the Park club had to be rescheduled to Torarica when members of the
clubs committee refused to give their permission stating that at such meetings
where actions against the Government will be made the Park Club will not
like to be compromised.
UNIVERSITY MASTERS AND STUDENTS DISAPPOINTED OVER
OPENING COLLEGE YEAR
It is expected that many masters and students will boycott the opening
ceremony for the new college year that is scheduled to take place on Saturday
in the Centrum Church. This information was gathered from inside reports
from the university. The reason for the boycott is the fact that Desi Bouterse
has been asked to deliver the opening speech a decision that did not go
down well with most of the masters and students who were expecting at least
an academic scholar to deliver the address since it was the 30th Dies Natalis.
The decision of letting Bouterse deliver the address that is titled "The
University and the Community after the year 2000", is said to have come
from Professor Rosenval, Chairman of the University. Rosenval, it seems
is a strong supporter of Bouterse in the NDP. Bouterse's popularity has
increased over the past few months because of his antipathy against the
siting government, and his speech can be seen as a political set. Since
it will not be the first time that Bouterse has delivered such an openings
speech it lets one wonder at this boycott. It is true that back in 1982
two members of the university were victims of the december murders and
the military regime had closed the university, but the same Desi Bouterse
when Errol Alibux, who was Prime minister at that time has suggested closing
the university had stated that he would like to have it opened and was
called upon to give the opening speech in 1983. Bouterse was leader of
the government at that time.
CLO GIVES CIVIL SERVANTS AN EXTRA
LONG WEEKEND
At a well attended CLO meeting that was held yesterday morning at 10am,
the CLO has advised its members not to return to work for the rest of the
week and to attend a meeting on Monday at 9am in the KOB Centrum if it
was available if not then in the SPA centrum. The civil servants are demanding
a loan increase of 100 percent. Speakers at yesterdays meeting vented their
frustrations over the high prices in the shops, the fact that you have
to pay 35.000 a day even with SZF coverage and the last explanation of
the President for not granting them the 100 percent increase because of
its inflations consequences but has increased his and his teams salaries
by 100 per cent. According to Michael Miskin secratary of the CLO the government
has asked for a loan of U$80 million at the IDB and if this was to come
true it would mean that the salaries would have to be frozen for a while.
He also stated that an official devaluation of the Suriname guilder is
in the make which would bring the guilder down to 600-700 for one American.
This devaluation will help to increase the export, the government will
be ableto spend more money and the people will buy less so that less dollars
will be needed. In the meanwhile the CLO has advised the FOLS to hold meetings
with their membersbefore supporting the actions of the CLO. The schools
will therefore remain open until further notice.
-End-