The present situation in and around the Judiciary has taken on such a critical form that three
prominent lawyer-associations are ready to begin a fight against the Government to protect the
constitution from further undermining.These associations, the Order of Legal Counsellors,The
Suriname Lawyers Associations and the Junior Bar are scheduled to meet tomorrow at 1pm to
discuss what steps should be taken against the recent developments inside this organization.
The six candidates that were appointed as Judges together with the Notary ,the Bailiffs, Clerks
and all personel attached to the Judiciary as well as the man in the street have been called
forward to fight against the transgression of the constitution. Since repeated efforts by letter to
the President to seek a solution in this matter have been ignored, the Lawyers have deceided
that is was useless to continue along that line. The Lawyers are demanding that the Government
revoke the apppointments of both Veldema and Rozenblad as President of Justice and Attorney
General, and would also like to have the keys to the rooms belonging to the President of Justice
that was last evacuated by order of the Government and fitted with new locks handed over.The
vital message that is being sent to the Government is do or face the upcoming consequences.
The outcome of the meeting could place the Government in a very tight spot even causing a
total collapse of the balance ofthe three constituting forces of the constitutional state . The trust
and belief in an independant judiciary and legal protection is being blown to bits. The people
are called upon to join in the fight to protect the constitution. This appeal was made by Freddy
Kruisland, Chairman of the Association of Legal Advisors, Geetapersad Gangaram Panday,
asst. Chairman of the Order of Counsellors and Hugo Essed, coordinator of the Junior Bar, at a
press conference in Park. These three associations have a membership of 60 with 40010 to 45
active members.Veldema's behaviour has now cost him the appointment of President of Justice
even if the appointments are revoked and normal procedures followed.Essed stated that
Veldema, a member of the judiciary identifies with the Government and that this cannot be
accepted. According to Kruisland the unity in the judiciary forms a pillar for its independance,
should this body lose its unity would mean it has also lost its power.In the constitution a
division of the powers is so placed that there is no room for the Government to interfere with
the judiciary.The fact that Veldema had turned to the Minister of Justice for help shows his
identification with the Government and that is a bad sign for the independance of the
Judiciary.Gangaram Panday stated that we Lawyers cannot accept the idea of being a working
arm of any kind of Government.
The FOLS (Teachers organizations) has demanded a substantial raise in salaries because of the
decrease of purchase power. They did this in a letter to Sonny Kertoidjojo of Internal-
Affairs.The FOLS believes that the decline in purchase power is the result of the strong
decrease of the realistic salaries of the teachers. Also the pressure in the field of education is a
fact to be considered.The FOLS feels cheated by the enormous increases that were only given
to the Ministers and the Military, and asks the the Minister to to work on bringing back the
peace in the educational field.
A government delegation of the following Ministers: Bies Mangal of Public Works, Wonny
Ravales Of Regional development and Saimin Redjosentono of Agriculture have traveled to
Nickerie and have spoken with the those on hunger-strike. Mangal begged the farmers to stop
their action on behalf of the Divali festival.Reports that the eldest hunger-striker was to be
hospitalized was denied by Harry Kisoensing. The delegation guaranteed the farmers that the
Government is doing everything in its power to bring about a solution in this matter. The
protest demonstration that was to beheld in the city has been called off again to give the
Government a chance to solve this problem.
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