11 november 1998
STUDENTS AND TRADE ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT ACTIONS
Secondary students stormed the Ministry of Education yesterday demanding
to speak with Minister Ramsundersingh.They were later joined by members
of the CLO. The students are protesting their dissatisfaction with the
situation in the country.They are demanding that the Ministry look into
the following:A reasonable bus tariff, more teachers, and better schools.The
students will no longer tolerate the Ministry's way of dealing with these
problems. Minister Ramsundersingh was booed out while trying to speak to
them and had to return to his office. When questioned by the press over
the students reaction the Minister stated that the real students understood
what he was trying to say. He added that he knew in which corner the wind
sat and was not surprised with the reaction. The Minister is reported to
have said that at an earlier meeting that was held with the FOLS a complete
inventory was made of the problems. The Minister pointed out that the labor
agreement with the FOLS in which the wages are recorded expires in March
1999. He said that he has no objections if the members of the Union wannted
to carry out actions, but that those who were not members and were willing
to work should be able to do so. He threatened that in the case of the
teachers who had registered not showing up for work sanctions would be
taken against them. It was reported to the Minister that students following
lessons at the Lyceum 1 were prevented from making their sociology test
by a group of protesting students who after kicking and destroying the
doors of the classrooms took away the test papers from the students and
tore them up.There were 20 classes taking tests at that time.Meanwhile
the FOLS has called upon its members toregister at the KOB centrum today
to receive further instructions. The CLO is expected to gather at the SPA
centrum where memebres of other unions attached to C-47 will also gather.
The VSB is also expected to join in the actions and has advised its members
to close their businesses today and tomorrow. Workers who do not want to
join the actions will remain in the buildings behind locked doors.
BOUTERSE WANTS TO BE TRIED IN SURINAME
Advisor of State, Desi Bouterse wants to be tried in Paramaribo for the
same drugs related case that the Dutch authorities has against him. Bouterse's
legal advisor A. Moszkowicz has advised him to get a Suriname Judge to
grant him an irrevokable sentence over the drugs suspicions. With such
a sentence in the bag it will be impossible for Holland to start a process
against him since a person can only be tried once for a commited felony.
Mr Moszkowicz was in Suriname last week to advise his client in this matter.
-End-