“The government of Suriname has handed over the initiative, the people of Suriname must save themselves.” With these words begins PALU’s New Year’s message, with President Jim Hawke wishing the entire Surinamese community a lot of strength in the 2022 that now lies ahead.

“It will be up to us what we make of it, because we can expect very little support from the government. This does not displease the government. But the government led by President Chan Santokhy gave up control of its policy when it decided to go after the IMF. This is how it works.” In order to continue to receive IMF money, the government will have to implement policies the way the IMF wants it.This is why it is no longer the government that rules, but the IMF.

So it is better not to expect a supportive policy on the part of the government. Accordingly, PALU will come up with activities and initiatives in the very short term to help the community find its way, according to the Chairman. The government pays little attention to its options and capabilities to empower the people of Suriname. “That has to change,” Hawke says in a press release, and continues:

We are gradually getting used to the IMF recipe. The previous government, led by then-President Desi Bouterse, also wanted us to believe that the IMF had become more social. When the IMF started implementing its demands, they didn’t know how quickly they would have to get out of there.

We Surinamese will have to develop more initiatives ourselves to achieve them in 2020. That is why President Jim Hawke is calling on everyone not to give up. Don’t give in to yourself and the country, he says. Now more than ever is the time to tackle things individually and collectively. “Then we will still be able to make 2022 a successful year and lay the foundation for the coming years, despite the lack of supportive government policies in place,” PALU President Jim Hawke said in a short New Year message.