CARICOM still to confirm on observers for Suriname elections
by Ivan Cairo
Caribbean Net News Suriname Correspondent
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
PARAMARIBO, Suriname: The Caribbean
Community (CARICOM) still has to confirm whether the organization will send
observers to the general elections due on May 25 in Suriname. Meanwhile the
Organization of American States (OAS) recently informed the government, it
will send a five-member observer mission.
Earlier, the European Union declined on a
request from Suriname to send a mission, saying the CARICOM member state has a
good reputation of holding fair and democratic elections hence there is no
need for the EU to send observers.
Since the electoral authorities have not yet
received confirmation from CARICOM, according to chairman of the Independent
Electoral Bureau (OKB), Jennifer van Dijk-Silos, president Ronald Venetiaan,
in his capacity of chairman of the CARICOM Heads of Government, has been
advised to urge the regional organization to send observers.
“I know the matter is being considered by
CARICOM. Hopefully, in a few days’ time I will be able to say something more
definitive,” said Huntley Medley, public relations official at the CARICOM
Secretariat in Guyana when asked if the regional organization will send
observers to Suriname. Van Dijk-Silos, in an
interview with Caribbean Net News noted that, although Suriname has an
excellent reputation regarding fair and democratic elections, the country
would still benefit if international observers oversee the polls. To oversee
the elections the government more than doubled the number of national
observers. Where there were 150 national
observers in the 2000 general elections, for the upcoming polls the government
will select 330 individuals to serve as observers. Their training by UNDP
specialists start next week. Van Dijk-Silos further stressed, that the goal is
set for a hundred percent observance on the voting day.
Nationwide, there will be 559 polling stations with over 5,500 personnel. When
the preliminary voters’ lists were closed last week, 93.000 individuals, or 28
percent of the electorate, verified their data.
According to Domestic Affairs minister
Urmila Joella-Sewnundun, this was a lot more than in 2000 when between 15 and
18 percent of the electorate verified the lists. A total of 333.985
individuals are eligible to cast their ballot in May.
With less then three months to go the minister responsible for the elections
told reporters at a press briefing Tuesday morning that everything is on
schedule, but the expenditures will probably surpass the initial budget.
The government had estimated that the
election would cost 10.5 million Surinamese dollars (US$3.8 million) but
already some agencies responsible for the polls have submitted supplementary
budgets.
According to permanent secretary Ajai Moensi,
the extra budgets are being scrutinized but no decision has yet been made.
Meanwhile the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has donated 216.974
euro in material and technical assistance, while the European Union has pledge
to donate 499.000 euro.
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