President welcomes 5 new ministers

President Desi Bouterse on Wednesday installed 5 new minister in his cabinet. But reports indicate that the cabinet reshuffle is far from over because it is almost certain that more ministers will either be given the boot or reassigned to another ministry. Reports also indicate that directors, deputy directors and managers at semi governmental companies will also be given the boot or reassigned as part of the cabinet reshuffle. Changes also lie in store for the top of the National Army.

Yildiz Beigle (Foreign Affairs), Christine Polak (Social Affairs and Housing), Roline Samsoedien (Environmental Planning, Land and Forest Management), Ferdinand Welzijn (Trade and Industry)and Jerry Miranda (Public Works)on Wednesday became the new members of the president’s team of ministers. Minister Joan Dogojo who ran the Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing (Sozavo) after the elections of May 2015 has been reassigned to the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs. The Ministry of Transport, Communication and Tourism (TCT) will reportedly be dismantled. The Transport Directorate will be moved to the Ministry of Public Works and the Tourism Directorate will reportedly become an authority. The Communication Directorate will be split into several parts.

Clifton Limburg, the current press secretary at the Office of the President, will become the director of the future communication entity. “There will also be a reshuffle at the STVS and the SRS,” said President Bouterse who added that all forms of communication from the government will be placed under the umbrella of the Information Directorate of the government. President Bouterse strongly criticized the ministers who were given the boot on Wednesday. He pointed out that there were especially irregularities at Sozavo and the Ministry of Environmental Planning, Land and Forest Management (RGB). “That ministry is a grateful tool for the poor man and woman who put us here today. And when we have achieved the position we start to forget. We usually make a good start. I had seen the first batch of land documents and was very excited and yes….then you see the big black cars at night. That is when things get difficult at the ministry,” said President Bouterse as he referred to the Ministry of Environmental Planning, Land and Forest Management.