Suriname adjusting to austerity measures

Suriname is adjusting to the new austerity measures which are part of the deal the Surinamese government made with the  International Monetary Fund to cope with the economic crisis which mainly affects the middle class families and the poor .

In a climate of uncertainty and daily price hikes in stores the population is confronted with newly imposed education fees for all levels of education on top of increased prices of electricity and water.

In an attempt to accommodate the lower income groups and the sick and elderly the government has implemented a distribution system to supply registered families or individuals with basic food packages.

Meanwhile  in increased criticism from opposition both in the ruling National Democratic Party and in oppositional political parties  in the National Assembly, the government  is asked to step up its efforts to curb corruption and criminality. 

Furthermore the recent  government decision to order the cessation of the legal proceedings against President Bouterse, fueled the  debate about he role of the judiciary in the context of an  independent  State,  Church and Judiciary and  has prompted the coalition party DOE to end its cooperation with the ruling National Democratic Party, It is unclear if  the minister of Natural resources  and energy who is affiliated to DOE  will step down too, since he was not ordered to step down by President Bouterse.  In a positive turn of events the austerity measures have triggered a sharp decline of energy usage and have made people more aware of their energy bills and their control over how much energy they use . This is not only positive for their electricity bills but also for the environment.

It can not be denied that efforts to diversify Suriname's  economic output are hampered by the austerity measures but  on the other hand    creativity  of  especially young Surinamese  has  not only increased regional cooperation but has also opened up new avenues for Suriname's creative industries. Also  tourism in Suriname is receiving more attention as economic source for recovery of our economy. Efforts are stepped up to upgrade the Surinamese tourism industry , especially for tourists who are looking for nature and  culture, which are both in abundance in Suriname. Meanwhile times are relatively hard for some and the rich are still getting richer , also in Suriname.

Martha Tjoe Nij

2016

Caribbean cultural cooperation

Suriname was center stage in terms of Caribbean integration when it hosted the 11th edition of the Caribbean Arts and Culture festival CARIFESTA in 2013.

These pictures are highlighting some of the special moments and people who made it all possible . Three years later the question remains how did our participation then,bcontribute to Suriname's regional integration and which cultural development did our hosting activities bring to Suriname?

Our financial weakness and lack of consistent cultural policy has unfortunately left Suriname with a mini personal representation in  last year's Haiti edition of the largest cultural event in the Caribbean. Positive impact of Carifesta in Suriname was the influx of tourists to our country of whom many had never heard of Suriname and were surprised by our cultural diversity and natural beauty.

The sad truth is that many Surinamese artists who had high hopes of selling their work and linking to regional networks have been left in the lurch and are facing the same routine at the ministry of Education where the same cultural elite is ruling the waves.

                           

Untroubled by any form of professional knowledge many cultural workers in the Caribbean adopt Eurocentric views of what cultural output should be, while lacking the skills to educate the budding artists and artisans on decolonization of the mind, to raise their professional level and contribute to an innovative trend which could also help artists profit from their work.
In this respect the recent cooperation between Surinamese and Guyanese young ICT specialists has opened up doors for creative talent
to show their skills and educate themselves
in such a way that the information and communication branche could be selfsupporting.
Regional cooperation can create
jobs for surinamese artists who are developing
a Surinamese style and want a piece of the pie
when it comes to animation and application production.
There must be a positive note in this respect because on the eve of the Caricom Heads of State gathering Suriname's president has  economic reform  and regional cooperation high on the agenda.  The question remains how the Surinamese arts and cultural wealth will be put to good use to the benefit of the artists who gave so much during Carifesta XI but seem to have been forgotten once the final ceremony ended on Independence square in Paramaribo.

Caribbean cultural cooperation

Suriname was center stage in terms of Caribbean integration when it hosted the 11th edition of the Caribbean Arts and Culture festival CARIFESTA in 2013.

These pictures are highlighting some of the special moments and people who made it all possible . Three years later the question remains how did our participation then,bcontribute to Suriname's regional integration and which cultural development did our hosting activities bring to Suriname?  Our financial weakness and lack of consistent cultural policy has unfortunately left Suriname with a mini personal representation in  last year's Haiti edition of the largest cultural event in the Caribbean. Positive impact of Carifesta in Suriname was the influx of tourists to our country of whom many had never heard of Suriname and were surprised by our cultural diversity and natural beauty. The sad truth is that many Surinamese artists who had high hopes of selling their work and linking to regional networks have been left in the lurch and are facing the same routine at the ministry of Education where the same cultural elite is ruling the waves.

Untroubled by any form of professional knowledge many cultural workers in the Caribbean adopt Eurocentric views of what cultural output should be, while lacking the skills to educate the budding artists and artisans on decolonization of the mind, to raise their professional level and contribute to an innovative trend which could also help artists profit from their work. In this respect the recent cooperation between Surinamese and Guyanese young ICT specialists has opened up doors for creative talent to show their skills and educate themselves in such a way that the information and communication branche could be selfsupporting. Regional cooperation can create  jobs for surinamese artists who are developing a Surinamese style and want a piece of the pie when it comes to animation and application production.

There must be a positive note in this respect because on the eve of the Caricom Heads of State gathering Suriname's president has  economic reform  and regional cooperation high on the agenda.  The question remains how the Surinamese arts and cultural wealth will be put to good use to the benefit of the artists who gave so much during Carifesta XI but seem to have been forgotten once the final ceremony ended on Independence square in Paramaribo.