NDP vice-chairman Ramon Abrahams wants to take the initiative for a bust or statue of late former president Desi Bouterse at Onafhankelijkheidsplein. He said this on Monday in the programme Bakana Tori. According to Abrahams, there should be a place where the population can commemorate Bouterse.
“If Lachmon and Pengel stand at Onafhankelijkheidsplein, then Bouterse should also stand there”, Abrahams stated. He hopes that the party leadership will support his initiative. According to him, the NDP must ultimately take a decision on this, because the party is in power.
Abrahams considers it regrettable that, according to him, the government has not yet discussed a bust of the former president. “Why is it taking so long? Why has nothing been said about it yet?”, he wondered.
In addition to Onafhankelijkheidsplein, he named the OCER party centre and the Monument of the Revolution as locations where, according to him, a statue of Bouterse should be erected.
The NDP vice-chairman stated that Bouterse has meant a great deal to Suriname. “I do not think any leader has achieved more than Bouterse.” He acknowledged that there are also negative aspects to his legacy, but believes that the positive contributions also deserve attention.
Abrahams referred in this regard to the Staatsziekenfonds (SZF), Staatsolie and the construction of bridges. According to him, virtually all bridges were built during military rule or under governments in which Bouterse was in charge.
He also stated that Bouterse ensured that Suriname received more royalties from agreements in the gold sector. “He never sold out the country,” Abrahams said. He believes that the former president should receive the recognition he believes he deserves.
