🚨President Santokhi attempts to deal with crime in the country

and the teachers told their members to return to work.

De Brief
April 29, 2024

President Chan Santokhi participates in a meeting on dealing with rising crime in the country.

The Surinamese government, led by President Chan Santokhi, is taking decisive action in response to recent increases in crime.
Following a meeting with key officials and security agencies, including Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk and various ministers, Santokhi has instructed security leaders to intensify efforts to address crime across the country.
Measures include stricter enforcement, such as the implementation of roadblocks, and tightening immigration policies.
Collaboration between security agencies will be strengthened, with additional support for the police from the National Army.
Citizens are urged to assist by reporting suspicious activities. Santokhi emphasizes the importance of effective communication with the public and underscores the government's commitment to combating crime and ensuring the safety of the community.
Further discussions will be held to refine strategies in the coming days.

Minister Kenneth Amoksi acknowledges the persistent challenge of limited resources in combating crime in Suriname.
Despite this, the government is actively working to enhance safety, with recent approvals for additional security measures including mandatory identification checks and regulations for electric bicycles.
Other initiatives include crackdowns on obscured license plates and heavily tinted windows, updating the "Most Wanted" list, and reorganizing the Immigration Police.
Despite funding constraints, approvals were granted for the procurement of essential equipment.
Amoksi has reassured the public of concerted efforts by the police, defense forces, and other security agencies to maintain peace and security in the community as society continues to fear the rising crime endemic.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture

This decision follows legal proceedings initiated by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture against BLTO, which demanded an end to their actions.
While the court did not reach a verdict yet, agreements have been reached to discontinue the strikes.
The judge criticized both BLTO and the government and emphasized that striking isn’t a salve to address issues like unpaid overtime.
Despite reservations, BLTO is willing to suspend actions provided certain conditions are met, including timely payments and addressing administrative issues.
The court has postponed further action, and BLTO members are expected to resume work with reservations.

The Central Bank of Suriname (CBvS) anticipates that the downward trend in exchange rates will continue, reflecting a strengthening Surinamese Dollar against the US dollar and euro compared to early 2023.
This trend is attributed to various factors such as macroeconomic factors, market sentiments, and factors relating to specific industries.
One of these factors is macroeconomic factors which has been impacted by tightening monetary policy and fiscal discipline leading to higher interest rates and reduced credit lending. The government has also increased tariffs and VAT collection, dampening economic demand.
Multinational oil companies have settled overdue payments to parent companies, leading to declining demand for foreign currency. Banks are also beginning to reduce foreign currency positions to offset losses from the declining exchange rates.
Furthermore, statements from various influential figures in society regarding currency markets have influenced actions based on expectations. The sentiments are inclined towards further exchange rate decreases leading to a wait-and-see approach.
In the foreign exchange market, the demand for US dollars is decreasing due to reduced demand from oil companies and importers. Despite fluctuations, the CBvS expects the structural decline in foreign currency demand to persist as long as stringent monetary and fiscal policies continue.