Bouterse says Alcoa issue is a done deal

President Desi Bouterse on Monday made it clear that he considers the negotiations with Alcoa/Suralco a done deal. The government and the bauxite multinational have already reached a draft agreement which the government intends to ink. The president pushed aside all criticism and comments. “Let us do our job. No more talk. The contract must be inked,” said President Bouterse at a press conference at the Johan Adolf Pengel (JAP) International Airport upon his arrival from Cuba. The president fiercely criticized the opponents of the contract and the groups that are against the dismantling of the alumina refinery at Paranam. He pointed out that the government has worked hard for the past 4 years to reach a good deal with Alcoa/Suralco. “If the deal is not closed, the development of Suriname will be delayed,” said Bouterse. “As you may know Surinamese people are always know-italls but if it were up to them nothing would be done. We have lived with a fantastic project of BHP and believe me it was a billion dollar project. But there was a disagreement about that project which would have guaranteed the future existence of the bauxite industry for the next 60 years,” said Bouterse who added that the negotiations with BHP took too long which is why the multinational eventually decided to pull the plug. President Bouterse explained that a strong contract has been drawn up with the help of local and foreign experts. The deal will reportedly be signed despite the objections. “The government will sign it. Of course parliament needs time to read it and to ask several questions.”