Happy Monday!

This week we cover the government selling carbon credits and concerns of the community, while we also address concerns of government safety and health workers.

As the government will begin selling carbon credits, Indigenous and Tribal leaders feel concerned about their plans.

• The government previously addressed Indigenous and Tribal leaders and thanked them for their pristine upkeep of the greenery in Suriname.

• President Santokhi in that same speech, said that as Suriname would start trading carbon credits, a substantial number of the income would go back to Indigenous and Tribal groups.

• However, now Indigenous and Tribal leaders in Suriname are deeply concerned about the government's plan to sell carbon credits without consulting them.

• An agreement has already been signed between Suriname and an international company for the sale of these credits.

• The leaders, represented by VIDS and KAMPOS, demand an immediate halt to the process and a review of all steps involved.

• They criticize the government for ignoring their rights, particularly the need for Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) and recognition of their ancestral land ownership.

• If the government doesn't stop the carbon credit sales, the organizations plan to take further action and inform international bodies.

Fuel prices have continued to increase in Suriname due government prices.

• GOw2 cites circumstances beyond their control for the price hike, which impacts gasoline and diesel prices.

• At GOw2, unleaded gasoline will cost SRD 38.22 per liter, and diesel SRD 37.83, with VAT included.

• The government tax for gasoline has increased from SRD 9 to SRD 10 per liter, and for diesel, from SRD 8.50 to SRD 9.50.

• At SOL, new prices will be SRD 38.90 per liter for unleaded gasoline and SRD 39.12 for diesel.

Suriname’s Security Sector and Health Sector are concerned over lack of salary increases and are fed up with negotiations with the government.

• The Surinamese Police Union, along with other security and health sector unions gathered this past week at Independence Square for a joint meeting.

• After months of negotiations with the government regarding salary increases, no solutions have been found, and the unions are demanding immediate action.

• A large turnout of unions gathered at the Square, where a tent has been set up to continue discussions.

• Union leaders are determined to achieve real solutions rather than accepting empty promises.

• All security unions under the Ministry of Justice and Police are united at Independence Square, addressing their shared concerns.

  President Chan Santokhi announced a strict one-week plan to resolve issues following discussions with security unions.

• A team will start addressing administrative matters today, with further talks involving a cluster of ministers and the Negotiation Body (OO) regarding purchasing power.

• Union leader Poetini Atompai noted the president showed a new level of decisiveness not seen in the past four years.

• The president emphasized that all overdue promotions and fuel restrictions will be resolved within the week, with another review meeting scheduled for next Saturday.

• Lloyd Pool, chairman of the AZP union, expressed relief that their demands were finally addressed, expecting concrete actions following the president's intervention.

  In the meantime, the 's Lands Hospital is providing additional nursing staff to AZP to address critical shortages in intensive care for babies, with incentives offered to retain highly qualified nurses.

• AZP's pediatric department has faced capacity issues for months, resulting in the deaths of three premature babies last week; previous proposed solutions were ineffective.

• Final-year nursing students from Covab will be brought into internal nursing roles and receive extra training; specialized students will be exempt from fees.

• Foreign healthcare workers will be brought in to support AZP starting in October.

• AZP’s Medical Staff Board will hold a press conference on the crisis caused by a severe shortage of healthcare personnel, which threatens the quality and continuity of care, particularly in NICU/PICU.

As Suriname continues to be concerned around rising crime, Minister of Interior Affairs Bronto Somohardjo of Pertjajah Luhur advocates for an expedited process allowing heads of households to obtain firearms to protect their families and possessions.

• He emphasizes that the right to private property in Suriname is meaningless if people cannot defend their belongings against robbers.

• Pertjajah Luhur has scheduled 50 focus meetings until November 25, with a mass meeting planned for December 1.

• Focus meetings are small gatherings where up to 100 people can directly interact with the party leadership.