“Don’t ask me nonsense”

“Don’t ask me nonsense,” said Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk when asked by a journalist why the COVID-19 protocols and rules for the arrival of passengers from the Netherlands were not followed when his daughter arrived in Suriname. “I will not respond to questions that are aimed at attacking me personally. This is about my daughter and her family and I do not appreciate it when people talk to me like that,” said VP Brunswijk who explained that his daughter arrived from the Netherlands recently and that she had followed all of the rules and protocols in the Netherlands. “She was given permission for home quarantine and she was picked up and taken there. We know our responsibility and there is nothing wrong.” When asked about the fact that his daughter was picked up by relatives and that the rule which states that people who arrive in the country are no longer allowed to be picked up by relatives had been violated, Brunswijk responded by saying that “she is my daughter and just like me she is also entitled to certain privileges.” “Nobody should have a problem with that. Yes, she was picked up by personal transportation. She is the child of the vice president and if people think that there is something wrong with that, it is their problem.” When asked if a video which shows him handing out money has gone viral on social media, the VP made it clear that he would not comment on that. “Each time when we come here to hold a press conference and to answer questions there are a few among you who only show up to attack people. If the journalist wants to know if I threw money around, he should take a good look at the footage to find out who that is. He should not ask me that and the next time I will not respond to such questions from this journalist.” However, at the conclusion of the press conference, the VP apologized to the nation in case his response seemed too harsh.