No more cheap US dollars via Chotelal
“The intervention policy has been put on hold due to the recent developments,” said Finance Minister Gillmore Hoefdraad as he referred to the sale of cheap US dollars via the exchange office/ cambio of Chotelal. This week Chotelal’s cambio also sold US dollars at a lower price. The minister explained that this was not due to the interventions of the Central Bank of Suriname (CBvS).
There are, however, contradictions in the statement of the government regarding the US dollars that were sold via Chotelal and what RobertGray
van Trikt, ex governor of the CBvS, has stated. Van Trikt made it clear that the government has to shed light on the American dollars that were being traded at Chotelal. But Hoefdraad claims that the money was distributed via the Central Bank of Suriname. “Why was Chotelal selected,” asked MP Marinus Bee (ABOP), who added that “this is mismanagement and favouritism.” The legislator from ABOP pointed out that he is in favor of a public call for tenders. MP Melvin Bouva (NDP) is also puzzled by the decision to sell US dollars at a lower price via Chotelal. MP Asiskumar Gajadien (VHP) is still not convinced that the government knew nothing about the funds that were used to carry out the interventions on the foreign currency market via Chotelal. “The president knew exactly what was going on. The savings of the nation were stolen and put in cambios,” said the legislator from the opposition.
MP Carl Breeveld (DOE) pointed out that everything is still vague.
Meanwhile the prices of foreign currencies has risen. The members from both the opposition as well as the coalition are puzzled by the current developments on the foreign currency market. The government and the Central Bank of Suriname are busy putting together a package of measures aimed at getting the exchange rates back under control. Minister Hoefdraad acknowledged that the Surinamese dollar has been dealt a heavy blow due to the obscurity surrounding the foreign currency cash reserve of the commercial banks.