Communicatie Dienst Suriname building renovated after years of neglect with help from detainees

According to Previen Sewnath, Communications Coordinator at the Kabinet van de President (the President’s Cabinet), the building has been in a severely neglected state since June 2020. The restoration work is being carried out with support from the Korps Penitentiaire Ambtenaren (KPA, the Penitentiary Officers Corps), with detainees also being deployed.

Sewnath said that since the Simons administration took office, steps have been taken to address the poor condition of the government building. The work has now begun on the roof and the upper floor. According to him, this is the first phase of a larger restoration process.

“This is only the beginning. We started with the roof and the upper floor,” Sewnath said in an additional response to Key News on Sunday, November 15.

Poor facilities complicate work

According to Sewnath, the current condition of the building is causing considerable problems with accommodating staff. Employees must carry out their work under difficult conditions, while department heads are forced to seek temporary solutions to continue providing services.

“The current condition of the building presents enormous challenges in accommodating employees. Thanks to the improvisational ability and commitment of the department heads, it has so far been possible to continue the work. However, this is neither a healthy nor a sustainable situation,” Sewnath said.

The renovation is intended not only to restore the building, but also to create better working conditions for staff.

Detainees help limit restoration costs

Detainees are being deployed during the renovation work. Sewnath expressed his appreciation for the support of the Korps Penitentiaire Ambtenaren and, in particular, for Imran Molai, director of the Huis van Bewaring (remand prison).

According to the communications coordinator, the detainees involved are highly motivated to carry out the work. In his view, their efforts not only contribute to restoring the building, but also provide opportunities for social reintegration.

Sewnath stressed that after completing a social reintegration programme, detainees should be able to once again take a full-fledged place in society. He believes that such initiatives deserve social appreciation and support.

The cooperation also offers a financial advantage. “By working with detainees, restoration costs can also be significantly reduced,” Sewnath said.

Criticism of government property management

Sewnath also criticised the way government property has been handled in recent years. According to him, mismanagement and self-interest have contributed to the deterioration of government buildings and the loss of public funds.

He said that a significant portion of the damage could have been prevented if timely and regular maintenance had been carried out.

The communications coordinator stressed that government buildings are maintained with public funds and must therefore be managed carefully. According to him, restoration does not begin exclusively with major administrative reforms, but also with the structural maintenance and protection of public facilities.

It is not yet known how much the full renovation of the CDS building will cost or when all the work will be completed. Sewnath said that the current work is only the beginning of the effort to address the neglected building.