“EBS could save additional SRD 300 million”

“It is still possible to save another SRD 300 million at the Energy Company Suriname (EBS)”, said Natural Resources Minister Regillio Dodson on the basis of a report from the American Jacobs Consultancy. The company has finished screening the company and has deemed it possible to spend less money. EBS director Rabin Parmessar has already implemented strict measures to drastically reduce the costs within the company with SRD 128 million.

Jacobs Consultancy has made several proposals aimed at further slashing the costs with an additional SRD 300 million. Minister Dodson will reportedly send the report to parliament this week. He explained that a lot more will have to happen than just the internal measures in order for the austerity measures to be more effective. The entire energy sector will reportedly have to be reorientated. Government officials recently discussed the state subsidy that is being given to the EBS. The government is faced with low income while the EBS subsidy is draining the treasury. About 7 percent of the gross national product is being consumed by the EBS because of the subsidy and this is putting the government in serious trouble. “We must dismantle the EBS that we know and start delivering energy at the most efficient price,” said Minister Dodson who has taken notice of the results of the austerity measures that were taken by Parmessar and his management team. But both Minister Dodson and Finance Minister Gillmore Hoefdraad want to put a stop to the state subsidy for the EBS. The Jacobs report includes desirable solutions. President Desi Bouterse has the final say regarding the implementation of the additional austerity measures.