30 oktober 1998
LAWYERS WILL NOT GIVE THE STATE FURTHER LEGAL ADVICE
Starting yesterday lawyers will no longer give the State Suriname any kind
of legal advice or assistance. The lawyers are at present organizing a
march in full regalia from the Court of Justice to the National Assembly
where they intend to let their meaning be heard.In the meanwhile the Judges
have sent a letter to the President denying that at no time at all had
any member of the Court of Justice gone behind the backs of his or her
collegues to ask to be appointed President of the Court as was announced
by the Head of State at a press conference that was held earlier.The announcement
made at the same press conference by Minister Sjak Shie that the Vice President
of the Court did not give a written statement in which to confirm that
he did say that there were no problems with the appointments is being regarded
as an insinuation by the Judges and on the grounds of legal facts in their
possesion has been brushed aside. The meeting that was held in Torarica
yesterday was far more vehement than the statement which was published
later on would have you believe. The Lawyers, who are carrying out these
actions to get the Government to revoke the appointments of Veldema and
Rozenblad, will send a letter to the President informing him that they
will not recognize them as The President of the Court of Justice and as
Attorney General and that any kind of cooperating with them was out of
the question.A meeting of the Court of Justice that was to take place on
Monday was only attended by Veldema and Rozenblad, the members had boycotted
the meeting.The Lawyers who are of the opinion that this meeting was illegal
is taking steps to declare it as such. In their efforts to save the constitution
the Lawyers are are also organizing a congress over the independance and
impartiality of the the Judiciary. International Organizations will be
given the opportunity to familiarize themselves with what has been taking
place in the country. The Lawyers are enraged at Rozenblad and Veldema
for returning the letters sent to them unopened , and intend to have these
letters published. They will also give out a white book with information
around the appointments of Veldema and Rozenblad so that everyone will
be given a chance to better understand their official stand point.
PRESENT ACCORD IN RICE SITUATION
WOULD SERVE TO KEEP SECTOR ALIVE
With the present accord that has been reached between the Government
and the Rice farmers it now looks as though there is hope for the sector
to survive should the government keep their word. The farmers have called
off their actions on Tuesday and are awaiting an answer from the Bank over
the reevalution of the debts, the essential point here is that the Government
stick to their pomises. This was announced by Dayanand Dwarka one of the
spokesmen for the farmers. In order to help the rice sector a rice production
funds will be set up by the Government enabling the farmers to borrow against
an interest of 15 perecnt. On the hand of various criteria it will be decided
which farmer or business will be able to made use of these season credits.
MEDICAL STUDENTS ADVISED TO BOYCOTT
OPENING OF COLLEGE YEAR CEREMONY
After a meeting that was held yesterday the Faculity board of the Medical
Faculity at the Anton de Kom University has advised the students to boycott
the opening ceremony out of protest that Desi Bouterse will hold the opening
speech.It has become evident that The Chairman of the University was on
a solo tour when he made the decision of asking Bouterse to make the speech.The
students do not see Bouterse as one qualified enough to present such a
topic as "the university after the year 2000". The fact that the university
will again be brought into a political sphere has been rejected by the
students who state that after the bitter experiences of the 80's are firmly
against this.
-End-