Van Dijk-Silos: “Nobody can doubt my objectivity”

“Nobody can doubt my objectivity as chairwoman of the Independent Election Bureau (OKB) because I am capable of doing my job seriously and objectively,” Jennifer Van Dijk-Silos told Times of Suriname on Friday after she had been sworn in by President Desi Bouterse at the Presidential Palace. “Yes, the president fired me as minister but everybody knows that I am a spiritual person who knows that when doors close, doors open for me elsewhere. I let go of negative things and am already over the painful experience. In August 2017 I was approached by the president to once again become the chairwoman of the OKB and I said yes in October. I there are people who have their doubts about my capabilities or my objectivity, I can only tell them that time will tell. I am not afraid of people who threaten to sue me because I know that I do my job in an honest manner,” said the new OKB chairwoman. The OKB consists of representatives of political parties. “Everything that happens is transparent. The first time I became the chairwoman of the OKB, I also was the deputy chairwoman of the Advice Council at the National Party Suriname (NPS) and even then I told my party that they were too late. So even the National Democratic Party (NDP) must not expect any special treatment and they are well aware of that. I do not close my eyes when parties want to try certain things at the elections. I absolutely will not allow that. People can expect a lot of courage from me and I will make sure that the OKB will continue to stand for objectivity,” said Van Dijk-Silos.