By Ivan Cairo
Caribbean Net News Suriname Correspondent
Email: ivan@caribbeeannetnews.com

PARAMARIBO, Suriname: After teachers and the government on Friday agreed with proposals by the court to resume negotiations, high school teachers immediately ended their four-week strike and classes could resume as early as Monday next week, officials in Suriname disclosed.

Reluctant to rule in the case put forward by the government, Judge Ewald Ombre argued that after reviewing all the evidence he concluded that both parties during earlier talks didn’t explore all avenues to the extent to reach an agreement through dialogue.

According to the magistrate there was still room for an amicable resolution for the standing issues between the government and the Teachers Union (BvL).

It ultimately came down to a proposal requesting the teachers to end the strike immediately and the government to retract the lawsuit, while the judge appealed to the government within two months to implement an agreement with the teachers that was signed in January.

During the next two months, the two sides should engage in talks in order to seek resolutions to problems that might exist and which are delaying implementation of the January agreement. The negotiations will be presided over by former prosecutor general Ceciel de Randamie who was appointed by the magistrate as mediator.

After some minor amendments, the government and the Teachers Union accepted the proposals. The agreement came just after the C-47 Association of Trade Unions ended its mediation to bring the parties closer to resolving the issues.

According to Alwin Baarh representing the government in court, “it depends on the willingness of both parties to reach an agreement within the fixed two-month period.”

President of the Teachers Union (BvL), Wilgo Valies maintained that with the courts proposal both parties could seek a “sustainable resolution” for the standing issues and normalization of situation.

“The intentions of both parties to reach an agreement are very important,” he said in an invited comment.

He noted that the announcement of the government to review and delay its plans to implement a new salary scheme for the public sector had contributed to the teachers’ decision to accept the court's proposal. Besides higher salaries, the teachers are demanding other financial benefits, and improved working conditions.

Recently, the government announced a 10 percent salary hike for all public servants and retired government workers.

Over the weekend the authorities, together with managers of the high schools, will devise strategies as to how to resume classes in such a way that it would have less impact on the school results.

According to insiders, final exams could be delayed for several weeks and students may have to attend classes in the afternoon and at the weekends, while also the year-end vacation would be shortened.