The Nationale Partij Suriname (NPS) is using the Day of the Maroons to call attention to equal access to education, healthcare, electricity and infrastructure in the interior. The party warns that the phasing out of electricity subsidies must not lead to energy poverty in villages which, according to it, have diesel-generated electricity for only four to six hours a day.
In its congratulatory message to the Surinamese community, particularly the Maroon communities, the NPS reflects on the peace treaty concluded by the Ndyuka with the colonial administration on October 10, 1760. The party sees this peace as a symbol of lasting tranquillity, freedom and national unity.
According to the NPS, the Maroons’ struggle for freedom forms an important pillar of Surinamese identity and the principle of equality. The party refers in this regard to the role of Boston Band and the traditional leaders of the various Maroon communities.
In addition to recognition and development, the NPS emphasises the importance of culture. According to the party, the pangi, music, languages and traditional authority structures form part of the national heritage. It also expresses its support for the entrepreneurship linked to Maroon Legacy Month, which, according to the message, concludes on October 10.
The party also calls for unity among all population groups. According to the NPS, acting jointly is necessary to promote nation-building and the development of Suriname.
The party also advocates for a fair and balanced distribution of revenue from natural resources. According to the NPS, those revenues must benefit both the city and the districts, as well as the remote interior, so that the desired development can be financed.
