Soldiers and RBT to assist Albina police

Reinforcements were recently deployed in the Marowijne District to assist the Albina Police Department. Reports indicate that soldiers from the National Army and the Regional Support Team (RBT) from the Police Force Suriname (KPS) have arrived in Albina to support the local police department. The newly appointed minister of Justice and Police, Stuart Getrouw, pointed out that security has been beefed up as part of the new safety strategy and the regulation measures that are currently being taken in the region. The district commissioner of Marowijne, Freddy Daniel, explained that security had to be beefed up in light of the robberies that took place in Albina in the past couple of weeks. Government buildings have also been vandalized. DC Daniel made it clear that these things are unacceptable in the district which is why the measures were necessary. Minister Getrouw was informed of recent events when he visited the district during the weekend. The decision to beef up security is aimed at maintaining law and order in Suriname’s border town. DC Daniel pointed out that boats must arrive at the wharf in an orderly fashion and that the measures would also increase traffic safety. Several illegal street vendors who had set up shop along the streets of Albina were evicted by the police during the weekend. DC Freddy Daniel pointed out that a group of people does not respect the rules and that they fail to realize how much the State has spent on establishing a market. “Several people keep selling their vegetables on the streets. The people had been informed beforehand of the ban on street vending and they had been given the opportunity to sign up for a spot in the new market of Albina. The police had warned them several times but they refused to comply.”