November 27, 1998
POLICE DISCOVERS LARGE SCALE SWINDLE OPERATIONS
Members of the fraud department of the local police force have been busy these past two months gathering information and clues over large scale fraud and swindle operations that involves owners of big firms in Paramaribo and Custom officers. Figures show that some businesses have been under-invoicing their goods and in this way robbing the State of hundreds of millions of guilders. Reports state that so far 6 people have been picked up for questioning in this matter. The names of these are: Kuldipsing and Jahi, two owners of large firms in Paramaribo, one Scholtzberg who is reported to be an ex-custom officer and now works as a clearance clerk and a certain Goelcharan who works for the SLM. Also a person who pretended to be a member of the Ministry of Natural Resources and who has embezzled huge sums of money from innocent victims by promimising to get them land. In the meanwhile the police is continuing with their inquiry into the large firms because inside information shows that once again there will be one heck of a scandal involving both Custom officers and owners of large businesses. Another case that is being investigated is that of stolen cars that find their way to Suriname in containers that were supposed to contain spare parts. In february this year 30 of these cars were seized by the police. These cars that cost hundreds of Dutch Guilders are driving around in Paramaribo without a license. When caught, the owners have to pay the import tax of40%, plus a heavy fine before they can get back the cars.
JOINT FORCES WANTS RESIGNATION WIJDENBOSCH'S GOVERNMENT
According to the leaders of the joint forces unit(CLO,FOLS,VSB), They would like to have President Wijdenbosch resign. They are no longer interested in dialogue. In the mean while the CLO is preparing to take the State to Court for not paying the salaries of the workers. Fred Derby (SPA/C-47) has warned the government to carefully read the Personal law articles and pay the people or they will be faced with a lawsuit. Derby added that there is no evidence that the people are on strike. The protestors have been advised to stay at home today and this weekend the leaders will come together to decide what action to take on Monday. Derby also said that if the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) conference that is scheduled to be held in Torarica on the 2nd and 3rd of December goes through, all 200 members will be welcomed by the protestors and informed about the situation in the country. The President has been advised to talk to the National Assembly between now and the ending of this month if it is wise to still hold the meeting here under these unfriendly circumstances.
Minister Soewarto Moestadja of Social Affairs is at present in Peru where the 4th conference about the children's social policy of Latin-America is being held. The conference is part of a program of the United Nations to provide a better living standard for the children. Moestadja is accompanied by Lilian Ferrier, head of the Bureau for children development. It is expected that they will return this week-end.
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