SURINAME – Justice and Police Minister Edward Belfort told Times of Suriname that he will not deny the request to hold the pagara relay in the inner city. Every year the request to hold the pagara relay which is also known as the fire cracker relay in the inner city. Last year Minister Belfort discussed the matter with the commission that had been tasked with reviewing the issue. The commission had made it clear that the safety aspect is always the main priority…[+]

SURINAME – Statistics indicate that there has been an increase in the number of whooping cough cases among young kids in Suriname. The statistics also indicate that a few babies have died as a result of complications of this highly contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airways. “Whooping cough cases have been reported in almost all of Suriname’s districts,” said the Public Health Bureau (BOG) in a press release. In order to prevent babies from getting the whooping cough, the BOG started vaccinating women who are 27 to 36 weeks pregnant against the whooping cough which is also known as Pertussis…[+]

SURINAME – Suriname and Israel are in taking their bilateral relations to a higher level. This matter was discussed during a meeting between the non-resident Israeli ambassador to Suriname, Magid Amiram, and Suriname’s Foreign Affairs (BUZA) Minister, Winston Lackin, on Saturday. The ambassador referred to the technical assistance which is being given to Suriname through the Israeli Agency for International Collaboration. For example workers from the Dialysis Center at the ’s Lands Hospital receive special training. Israel has also offered several trainings to Suriname and a workshop on entrepreneurship in association with the  ‘Competition Policy Unit’ of the Office of the Vice President.

SURINAME – The Institute for Graduate Studies and Research (IGSR) and the Prevention of Child Abuse in Suriname Project Group, Prekimi, organized an activity aimed at celebrating the 25^th anniversary of Convention on the Rights of the Child. The main objective of the event was to teach children about their rights through fun and games. Students from several primary schools attended the event which was held at the IGRS building.  The primary schools which participated in the event were OS Nieuw Amsterdam, OS Pontbuiten, OS Hannalust, OS Middenpad Kwatta, OS Winti Wai project, OS Oranje and OS Tout Lui Faut. Educationist Martijntje Kaptein explained that these 7 schools were selected for the pilot Study of the IGRS. The IGRS has been carrying out its pilot study among sixth graders for some time now…[+]

SURINAME – If there Parliament can’t convene during the next couple of weeks due to a lack of quorum, the chairwoman of Parliament,  Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, will consider getting the Quorum Bill out of the fridge. The Quorum Bill is aimed at forcing legislators to show up for work by punishing truants financially. A previous attempt to get this legislation on the agenda proved futile because the members of Parliament were reluctant to cooperate…[+]

SURINAME – Leprosy patients (former Hansen’s disease patients) of the Esther Stichting have been neglected for the past six months. MP Carl Breeveld (DOE), member of Parliament’s  Social Affairs Commission, explained that these people are left to fend for themselves because the workers are on strike. MP Breeveld pointed out that as a result of the strike the clothes of the patients are not being washed on time. The food is also not being cooked on time. According to MP Breeveld, the patients are not being transported optimally because the drivers are also on strike…[+]

SURINAME – The  St. Vincentius Ziekenhuis (SVZ) recently received its first portion of back payments for its Emergency Room (SEH) services. SRD 900,000 was deposited recently into the hospital’s bank account. The government which reportedly owes the hospital SRD 3,600.000 in total indicated that the hospital would soon receive the rest of the money…[+]

SURINAME – Statistics from the Police Force Suriname (KPS) indicate a slight increase in sex crimes and murders in 2014. Police Commissioner Humphrey Tjin Liep Shie on Friday indicated that there had been 27 murders in 2013 and that statistics show that there have already been 30 in 2014. The police commissioner hopes that no more murders will be committed this year. “We are doing everything we can to keep it under control. But it’s difficult to prevent some murders.” A third of this year’s murders are the result of domestic violence…[+]

SURINAME –  The government on Thursday concluded its intensive anti chikungunya campaign on Thursday weeks. The Feti Chikungunya, no mek no wan maskita dyuk yu campaign lasted six weeks. “The information campaign and the ‘Tapu Yu Bari’ (close your barrel) campaign will continue in the Commewijne District,” said Health Minister Michael Blokland at a press conference on Thursday. He added that the activities are now less intensive “because everything costs a lot of money.” The Krin Kondre campaign which was carried out in the districts Paramaribo, Wanica, Commewijne and  Saramacca was also concluded on Thursday…[+]

SURINAME – People with a disability recently expressed their concern because they still have not received their financial aid from the government this month.  Aniel Koendjbiharie, chairman of the  Stichting Wan Okasi, indicated that state employees have told the foundation which represents this group that the payments have been postponed until further notice. Employees from the Ministry of Social Affairs have reportedly indicated that there is a lack of funds at the moment…[+]