Suriname government expects president Obama to deliver on promises
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| Published on Friday, November 7, 2008 |
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By Ivan Cairo
Caribbean Net News Suriname Correspondent
Email: ivan@caribbeannetnews.com
PARAMARIBO, Suriname: While some are skeptical whether US president-elect Barack Obama will deliver on his campaign promises, the Suriname government is confident that the world will see some fundamental changes during his presidency.
In an unprecedented expression of approval, Suriname president Ronald Venetiaan and vice-president Ram Sardjoe have indicated that if they were eligible to vote they would have cast their ballot for Obama at Tuesday's elections in the US.
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| US ambassador to Suriname Lisa-Bobbie Schreiber-Hughes chat with guests at her residence in Paramaribo after a celebratory breakfast in honour of the election of the 44st president of the United States of America on Tuesday. Illinois senator Barack Obama was elected president, the first African-American ever to hold the office. Photo by Ivan Cairo |
Viewed as a breath of fresh air on the political scene, Venetiaan in an invited comment noted that with President Obama the US and the world will see some inevitable changes.
“The expectation and especially for me and the Surinamese people is that this changes would be for the benefit of the economy of the US and the economy of the world,” said Venetiaan.
According to the Surinamese Head of State the US policies of the past 8 years have alienated that country from the rest of the world and therefore its relations with other nations needs to improve.
Also, US ambassador to Suriname, Lisa-Bobbie Schreiber-Hughes expects “great things” from her new president.
At a celebratory breakfast in honour of the election of her country’s 44st president, she told journalists on Wednesday that she is very pleased that the elections went smoothly.
The diplomat is especially delighted over the huge turnout among young voters. With coming out in numbers this section of the electorate is claiming ownership of the next government, the ambassador indicated. She went on to say, however, that, since the problems awaiting the new Head of State are complex of nature “one man alone can’t to the job.”
“He will have to work with Congress and the rest of the world,” the diplomat noted.
President Venetiaan congratulated the American people's choice which demonstrates that the American people “was able to overcome color barriers and racial barriers”. “The choice for Mr Obama, in the course of the history of the US and the world will be proven to be a very important one”, said Venetiaan.
According to vice-president Sardjoe, president-elect Obama is indeed capable of coming up to the expectations of the international community. At a press conference on Wednesday, Sardjoe also noted that Obama will bring “more peace” to the world.
Meanwhile Trade Minister Clifford Marica is hopeful that the stranded Doha-round in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will be revitalized shortly. Due to the position of the US and other key players such as the European Union, China and India talks broke down several years earlier.
"Hopefully we will see some positive movements even before Mr Obama is sworn into office in January 2009,” said Marica. | | | | Reads : 701 |
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