KLM smuggles people into Suriname on cargo flights

For the past couple of months Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) has smuggled people into Suriname on its cargo flights. Commercial flights had been banned due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week the KLM once again smuggled 50 people into the country on a cargo flight. The government had not given any permission for people to be brought into the country on cargo flights.

Transport, Communications and Tourism (TCT) Minister Albert Jubithana confirmed last week’s ‘incident’ and pointed out that the government took action against the KLM on Wednesday. “It is true that there were people onboard of the cargo flight which we were not aware of. I have no information about these people being traced after their arrival in Suriname and if they were screened to find out if they are infected with COVID19.”

Minister Jubithana explained that during the talk that the authorities had with the KLM on Wednesday it became clear that this ‘thing’ had been going on for the past couple of months.

“The KLM explained that this ‘operation’ had been discussed with the previous government. These things were taken care of with one phone call. We were shocked to hear that these things were allowed in the past by the previous authorities.

There is no official mention of this anywhere in the documents,” said the minister who added that the new government has made it clear to the KLM that there are new structures in place that are tasked with fighting COVID19. “All the requests for flights must be handed in via the COVID19 Outbreak Management Team and no other authority is authorized to give permission for flights or allowing passengers on cargo flights. This has been made very clear to the

KLM and all other airliners,” said Minister Jubithana. According to Jubithana, the KLM claimed that there was nothing wrong with this because they have an aviation agreement with Suriname and because they are in fact allowed to fly 7 days a week from Suriname to the Netherlands and vice versa. “We will not go into a discussion with the airline because there is a presidential decree because of the COVID19 situation and there is also a special law regarding COVID19.

This means that despite the aviation agreement, all airliners that fly to and from Suriname must stick to the special rules regarding COVID19. It is unacceptable for people to be brought to and from Suriname on cargo flights. We will not give any airline permission for that,” said the TCT minister.