January 13, 1999
SURINAME OIL COMPANY (STAATSOLIE) HAS LOST US$ 7
MILLION IN 1998
The drop in oil prices on the world market has also touched STAATSOLIE.
For 1998 the company has shown a loss of US$ 7 million. This according
to Mark Waaldijk could have been more but the the company had taken certain
measures to cut down on cost while at the same time increasing its income.
Since it is not expected that there will be any changes in the oil prices
for the next coming years the company has asked its employees to continue
to support the Profitability Improvement Program (PIP). This program was
introduced in 1998 to help cut down on costs and to increse income. Oil
prices at the ending of 1998 at State owned company was US$ 6.50 per barrelwhen
compared to US$ 14,68 in 1997. With a further drop of 25 dollar cent per
barrel Waaldijk estimates a loss of around US$ 1 million. A look on the
brighter side shows that the production has increased from 10.500 barrels
to 12.000 barrels per day. Better sales contracts were also closed during
1998.
CUSTOMS PREVENT SALE OF ACETONE
Yesterday custom officers prevented the auctioning off of 96.000 liters
of aceton. This liquid that is also used in the preparation of cocaine
was smuggled into the country some 12 years ago by a certain LEWIS. At
that time the Suriname customs and the American Narcotic Bridgade had an
agreement to keep an eye on all types of chemicals used for producing cocaine.
Lewis could not present the required papers to declare the goods and the
shipment was moved, sealed and constanly controlled by the customs since.
An effort to auction off the goods was stopped by the customs because Lewis
has not yet handed over the proper papers.
CUBAN SPECIALISTS EXPECTED
Three Cuban specialists, a Pathologist, an Urologist and a Physiologist
are expected to arrive in Suriname a week after the return of President
Wijdenbosch from Cuba. The Pathologist and Urologist will work at the Academic
Hospital and the Physiologist at the Medical Scientific Institute. During
his meeting with President Wijdenbosch, the Cuban President Fidel Castro
pointed out that it was Cuba's policy to send doctors to countries that
needed medical help.
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