By Ivan Cairo
Caribbean Net News Suriname Correspondent
Email: ivan@caribbeannetnews.com
PARAMARIBO, Suriname: Reports indicate that the opposition in Suriname will boycott the presentation of the budget for the fiscal year 2008 on Monday, October 1, when the National Assembly is to start its new parliamentary year.
At a rally Wednesday night, Desi Bouterse of the main opposition party NDP hinted at the boycott, calling on the Surinamese people to take to the streets Monday for a massive protest demonstration against the Venetiaan administration in front of the National Assembly.
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| Desi Bouterse of the main opposition NDP |
According to the party leader, the people are fed up with the government and not only over the perceived defeat in the maritime boundary dispute with Guyana. Amongst other things, in the field of education and employment there is enough reason to complain, said Bouterse.
“We are going to show our dissatisfaction to the government,” he announced in his address during the rally at the party’s headquarters.
Last week the joint opposition, angered over the ruling of a UN Tribunal on the maritime boundary dispute with Guyana, which is believed to be in favour of Guyana, vowed to take action to oust the government.
The Venetiaan administration is being blamed for poor preparation to challenge the claims that Georgetown laid at the UN Tribunal in February 2004.
Guyana has been awarded a large swathe of sea area claimed by Suriname.
Bouterse noted that with the award of a possible rich oil field to Guyana, Suriname is to miss possible future revenues of up to 300 billion euros.
In an attempt to neutralize the criticism, the government has launched an information campaign to explain the outcome of the arbitration process.
Meanwhile, President Ronald Venetiaan and vice-president Ram Sardjoe are appealing to the people not to look only at what the country perceivably may have lost, but what has actually been gained.
According to the vice-president, Guyana gained only a political victory since the UN Tribunal has awarded the area where Suriname in June 2000 chased out a CGX oil drilling rig.
“But on all the other claims Guyana didn’t get a 100 percent award,” Sardjoe told reporters before the weekly cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Starting Thursday, the opposition will mobilise individuals for the protest demonstration on Monday by going into the residential areas, neighbourhoods and rural areas to inform the people. Reports indicate that demonstrations will continue until the government has resigned.
In 2005 the government survived a similar protest campaign after thousands took to the streets to protest a 100 percent hike of fuel prices. | 
