HVB eyes 1 seat in Nickerie

The chairman of the Reform and Renewal Movement (HVB), Mike Noersalim, on Saturday launched the party’s election campaign with the opening of a regional branch in the Nickerie District. The HVB’s regional branch is located along the St Jozefstraat in Nieuw Nickerie. Noersalim announced that the HVB is eying one of the five parliamentary seats of the nation’s rice district. He explained that his party will run for office for the very first time ever in 2020 and that it is officially starting at zero. “If you go from zero to one, that means that you have grown 100%,” Noersalim told Times of Suriname. He pointed out that his party does not want to aim too high and that the HVB would be content with a growth of 100%. “Other parties say that they have 5 seats and that they want 10 seats in 2020. That would also be a growth of 100%,” said the chairman who added that “one must not underestimate the silent strength of the party.” The regional office will give the Nickerie residents the opportunity to share their reform ideas and proposals. “We will not promise you the moon. The way politics are run must change. The first place to start making a change is in one’s own organization,” said Noersalim as he addressed the audience. “Making a change is not always easy. People will not have to travel all the way to Paramaribo to have a new identity card made because everything will happen in Nickerie. All of you will be responsible for the party’s growth.” Hendrik Somoredjo is reportedly the chairman of the regional board in Nickerie. The HVB also established a gender and youth council. Stephanie Slamet chairs the gender council while Alwin Kiman is in charge of running the youth council.