Opposition parties unite against amendment of State Debt Act

The Progressive Reform Party (VHP), the National Party Suriname (NPS), the General Liberation and Development Party (ABOP), Pertjajah Luhur (PL) and the party for Democracy and Development in Unity (DOE) on Tuesday decided to unite in the fight against the amendment of the State Debt Act. The chairman of the VHP, Chandrikapersad Santokhi, told Times of Suriname that the fight will take place in and outside of parliament. The legislators of the opposition will also work with all of the political parties and the organizations. MP Santokhi pointed out that the government has the majority of seats in parliament which is why it can get the amendment passed. The opposition parties will therefore prove that they have the majority of votes of the people. MP Santokhi pointed out that each citizen will fall victim to the government’s tendency to borrow money and that the growing number of loans will impoverish the people. The chairman of the orange party made it clear that “the government must be stopped from taking more loans.” The opposition parties will therefore ask international institutes not to grant the government any more loans. “These international organizations have a moral responsibility which compels them to protect the people. We will rally and fight in and outside of parliament,” said MP Santokhi who added that the events that take place in parliament will determine the strategy of the opposition parties. The Association of Economists in Suriname (VES) has urged legislators to reject the bill that is aimed at amending the State Debt Act.