A bulldozer destroying vegetation in the Cultuurtuin botanical garden.
PARAMARIBO--There has been uproar brewing in Suriname over the past week, over actions by the previous Cabinet, taken at the last minute before they had to hand over the reins to the new Cabinet led by President Chan Santhoki. Large parcels of land in protected areas were distributed, computers and other office equipment from government ministries have disappeared and former ministers purchased government-owned cars at prices that were far below value.
The distribution of large parcels of land in the “Cultuurtuin” botanical garden in northern Paramaribo, was first reported on July 18, when earthmovers started bulldozing centuries-old trees in the plots, clearing the land for new buildings. Reports were that former Minister Mike Noersalim, former caretaker at the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Land and Forestry Management, had signed the deeds that suddenly handed over ownership of the patch of green in the capital, to a group of people who were apparently closely linked to former government ministers.
The excavators were drawn back after horrified environmentalists drew attention to the destruction of the Cultuurtuin, hinting at the historic significance this area holds as a recreational spot in this rapidly gentrifying part of town.
The drama surrounding the botanical garden was followed up a few days later by other questionable last-minute acts committed by former government officials. Last week both President Santokhi and Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk reported not finding any computers and printers when they entered the offices they were taking over from their predecessors.
Also more than 40 cars that belonged to the Cabinet of the President, had been sold to interested parties, it was reported, for much less than their true value. Former Vice President Ashwien Adhin had reportedly arranged for several cars – including two armoured Toyota Land Cruisers – to be purchased cheaply by a company that he had ties to. The armoured Land Cruisers had been bought last year for US $180,000, to transport the president and vice president.
Ex-minister Rabin Parmessar of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, had reportedly purchased the vehicle he had been driving while in office – a VW Amarok worth $40,000 – for merely $1,500.
Former Minister Mike Noersalim has since denied willingly distributing plots of land in Cultuurtuin. He claimed that he had only been caretaker at the ministry and had acted on the advice of experts there; all he did was sign documents that had been prepared and that looked okay.
And both former Vice President Adhin and former Agriculture Minister Parmessar have insisted that they had purchased the cars under an exit arrangement that allowed former government officials to do so.
But as the commotion persisted, Parmessar on Saturday announced that he was transferring the VW back to the ministry. He demanded reimbursement of the money he paid.
And while government was taking inventory of all office equipment that had disappeared from the offices of the president and the vice president, several local business owners started making donations of equipment “to ensure a safe start of the new Cabinet.”
Government has in the meantime also been able to reverse the allocation of the parcels of land in the Cultuurtuin. Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk nonetheless announced on Friday, that Attorney General Roy Baidjnath Panday would be asked to start an investigation into the dubious distributions.
He said preliminary inquiries have already shown that several legal requirements were skipped by whoever was responsible for giving out the land.
