Carib Scope

标签： Suriname

苏里南

  • Belangrijkste spelers om dit seizoen in het Europese voetbal in de gaten te houden

    Belangrijkste spelers om dit seizoen in het Europese voetbal in de gaten te houden

    As top European football leagues enter their final pre-season preparations with friendly matches and training camps in full swing, the global football community has turned its full attention to the ongoing summer transfer window, where clubs are rushing to fill final roster gaps for both their starting lineups and depth squads ahead of the 2026-27 campaign. This season, three global superstars — Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Lamine Yamal — stand out as the most anticipated players to watch across the Premier League, La Liga, and the UEFA Champions League.

    This summer’s transfer market has already delivered several high-profile moves: English international Elliot Anderson made the switch from Nottingham Forest to reigning Premier League champion Manchester City, while Ivorian talent Yan Diomandé moved from German side RB Leipzig to Spanish giant Real Madrid. Persistent transfer rumors also continue to swirl around Manchester City midfield anchor Rodri, with FC Barcelona emerging as a reported potential destination. Even with these big-name moves, this summer’s transfer activity has been surprisingly muted compared to recent years, marking one of the most stable off-seasons for European top-flight rosters in the last decade.

    Below, we break down the most influential players whose form will likely define their clubs’ title chances this coming season, backed by on-pitch performance data from recent campaigns:

    ### Declan Rice – Arsenal
    Fresh off a disappointing 2026 World Cup campaign with England, 27-year-old Declan Rice is fully focused on reaffirming his status as an irreplaceable cog for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side. Since joining from West Ham United, Rice has become the backbone of Arsenal’s defensive structure and ball retention system, while emerging as a lethal threat on set pieces – a major weapon for the Gunners last term. Arsenal scored a league-high 24 goals from set pieces last season, with eight coming from Rice’s deliveries and three more directly from his assists. The summer arrival of Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle United has slightly eased the physical and tactical burden on Rice, but his role remains non-negotiable as Arsenal chases its first Premier League title in decades.

    ### Bruno Fernandes – Manchester United
    Bruno Fernandes has been the beating heart of Manchester United’s first team since his arrival in 2020, and he remains the club’s most irreplaceable player — a long-term injury to Fernandes would leave United with no easy replacement. Last season, Fernandes delivered a career-best performance in the Premier League, notching 21 assists, more than any other player in the league, while leading the division in total chances created and progressive passes. He generates a large share of United’s attacking opportunities, but the summer departure of midfield partner Casemiro is expected to increase his defensive workload, a shift that could have a major impact on his attacking output this season.

    ### Cole Palmer – Chelsea
    Cole Palmer’s value to Chelsea lies in his versatile attacking threat, which has quickly made him the focal point of the Blues’ rebuild. After a breakout 2024/25 season where he was directly involved in 29 Premier League goals, Chelsea has built its entire attacking structure around Palmer’s creative ability. His unique skill set, which allows him to both score consistently and create high-quality chances for teammates, makes him impossible to replace for the West London side. After a underwhelming 2025/26 campaign, the 2026-27 season represents a key test: Palmer needs to return to his top form to push Chelsea back into title and European contention.

    ### Erling Haaland – Manchester City
    Erling Haaland’s outsized importance to Manchester City is underscored by his 27 Premier League goals in the 2025/26 season, which earned him his third consecutive Premier League Golden Boot. As City’s elite finisher, he converts the team’s sustained attacking dominance into valuable points on the table. His mere presence forces opposing defenses to assign multiple markers to him, opening up space and opportunities for City’s other attacking playmakers. If Rodri does leave the club this summer, Haaland will face increased pressure to create and finish more goals to keep City at the top of the league.

    ### Dominik Szoboszlai – Liverpool
    Szoboszlai was a key driving force behind Liverpool’s 2024/25 Premier League title win, and he stepped up again to carry the team through a disappointing 2025/26 campaign. He led Liverpool in both chances created and successful passes in the final third of the pitch last season, and his positional versatility — which has seen him fill in effectively at right back when needed — makes him nearly irreplaceable for Arne Slot’s side.

    ### Kylian Mbappé – Real Madrid
    Mbappé’s form will go a long way toward determining whether Real Madrid can end Barcelona’s run of two consecutive La Liga titles. Last season, Mbappé notched 25 goals and five assists in 31 La Liga appearances, and he finished as the top scorer in the Champions League with 15 goals. The biggest challenge for Real Madrid is not Mbappé’s ability, but rather integrating his talent alongside fellow superstar Jude Bellingham to maximize both players’ impact. New Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has been tasked with solving this tactical puzzle ahead of the new season.

    ### Lamine Yamal – Barcelona
    The influence of 19-year-old Lamine Yamal has grown steadily at Barcelona, especially as former star striker Robert Lewandowski’s on-pitch impact has declined. Last season, Yamal recorded 16 goals and 11 assists in just 28 appearances, directly contributing to 27 competitive goals for the club. His ability to create chances and beat defenders one-on-one forces opposing defenses to completely adjust their structure to contain him. Yamal’s impact was a core factor in Barcelona’s domestic treble win last season.

    ### Ousmane Dembélé – Paris Saint-Germain
    Current Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé remains invaluable to PSG, thanks to his unique combination of finishing, creativity, and all-around attacking contribution. In the 2024/25 season, Dembélé scored 35 goals and was directly involved in 51 total goals for the French champions. He notched a solid 17 goals in 22 Ligue 1 appearances and 10 goals in eight Champions League matches last season, though the campaign was seen as a step down from his record-breaking 2024/25 form.

    ### Harry Kane – Bayern München
    Since joining Bayern München from Tottenham Hotspur, Harry Kane has transformed into one of the most lethal finishers in European football. Last season, he scored 36 goals in 31 Bundesliga appearances, earning him his third consecutive Bundesliga Golden Boot, and added another 14 goals in the Champions League. His relentless goalscoring instinct remains one of Bayern’s most valuable assets as they chase both domestic and European glory.

    ### Marcus Rashford – Manchester United (Tentative)
    After a rocky spell at Manchester United that saw him fall out of favor under former manager Ruben Amorim, Rashford revived his career last season on loan at Barcelona, where he reconnected with his best form. He is still not confirmed to be at Old Trafford for the 2026-27 season, but new interim manager Michael Carrick is open to giving Rashford a second chance at his boyhood club. In 32 La Liga appearances for Barcelona last season, Rashford scored eight goals, and his play showed clear signs of a return to the elite level he reached in previous years. Wherever he plays next season, if Rashford can fully regain his top form, his pace and clinical finishing will make him a nightmare for opposing defenses.

    From defending champions to title-chasing contenders, these 10 players are unquestionably the ones who will decide the story of the 2026-27 European football season.

  • Meer dan helft jonge Surinamers overweegt vertrek naar buitenland

    Meer dan helft jonge Surinamers overweegt vertrek naar buitenland

    As Suriname stands on the cusp of unlocking major new economic opportunities from its emerging oil and gas sector, it confronts a pressing, underrecognized threat: the potential exodus of more than half of its young working-age population, according to groundbreaking new national survey data.

    The findings come from the 2026 National Perception Survey Suriname 3.0, conducted by independent research institute NIKOS on behalf of the country’s Ministry of Oil, Gas and Environment. The study set out to map the public’s visions, expectations and development priorities for the nation as it approaches 2050, and has delivered one of the most stark assessments of youth migration intentions ever recorded in the country.

    Across the entire surveyed population, 36% of respondents reported they are considering leaving Suriname within the next five years to seek work, pursue education, or build a better life abroad, while 54% rule out an international move. But when broken down by age group, the data shifts dramatically: among 18 to 39-year-olds, the share of those considering emigration jumps to 54%. That figure falls to 31% for 40 to 59-year-olds, and drops to just 16% for respondents aged 60 and older, confirming that the country’s youngest generation is the most likely to weigh leaving.

    The research team is careful to note that emigration intention does not guarantee all these young people will actually leave the country. Even so, the size of this group is being treated as a critical warning sign, particularly against the backdrop of the economic growth Suriname projects for the coming decade. New offshore oil and gas developments are expected to generate thousands of new jobs, attract billions in foreign investment, and open up broad-based economic opportunities across sectors — developments that will require a large, skilled domestic workforce to fully leverage.

    The survey highlights a striking, counterintuitive contradiction in the data. The same young cohort that is most willing to leave Suriname is also by far the most motivated to invest in their own professional development. A remarkable 92% of 18 to 39-year-olds say they would pursue additional education or vocational training if it would increase their chances of earning a higher income. That compares to 73% of 40 to 59-year-olds and just 24% of adults over 60. Far from being uninterested in professional advancement, Suriname’s youngest generation demonstrates extraordinary enthusiasm for upskilling and building more prosperous careers.

    This combination of high willingness to upskill and high willingness to emigrate creates a significant development risk for the nation. If large numbers of these motivated, skilled young people choose to build their futures abroad, Suriname could lose the exact human capital it needs to capitalize on its upcoming economic growth. The survey explicitly names this risk, noting that while the country holds enormous untapped development potential through its ambitious youth population, it now faces a serious threat of deepening brain drain.

    This concern is already widely shared by the public: 22% of all survey respondents named youth talent outflow as one of the biggest long-term risks to Suriname’s development, matching the share that identified insufficient education and skills training as a top threat. Young people and highly educated respondents were far more likely to flag talent emigration as a critical problem.

    The report draws a direct causal link between the two challenges: if Suriname fails to train enough qualified domestic workers and simultaneously loses a large share of its existing skilled talent to other countries, the national labor market will face dual pressure that could derail growth. During an expected period of economic expansion, a shortage of skilled workers could leave the country unable to capitalize on its new oil and gas opportunities on its own, forcing it to become far more dependent on foreign expertise and labor.

    Another surprising finding defies common assumptions about why young people consider emigration: the intention to leave is not driven by widespread pessimism about Suriname’s future. In fact, the survey found that young people are far more optimistic about the country’s trajectory than older generations. Nationwide, 42% of respondents expect Suriname’s overall situation to improve in the coming years, 32% expect it to stay roughly the same, and 26% expect it to worsen. The 18 to 39-year-old age group recorded the highest levels of optimism among all demographic cohorts.

    This creates a striking paradox: young Surinamese see national economic potential, are overwhelmingly willing to invest in their own skills to advance, yet more than half are still keeping the option of moving abroad open for their personal futures.

    The survey’s findings go far beyond measuring migration trends; they raise fundamental questions about Suriname’s future development strategy. For policymakers, the core challenge is no longer just training young people to fill the new jobs that will come from oil, gas, and broader economic diversification. The country must also create the domestic conditions that give these young people compelling reasons to stay, build their careers, and contribute their skills, entrepreneurship and labor at home. After all, new economic opportunities alone will not drive growth if the generation meant to capitalize on them is actively considering building their futures elsewhere.

  • Chikungunya-uitbraak voorbij, virus circuleert nog

    Chikungunya-uitbraak voorbij, virus circuleert nog

    After weeks of elevated transmission, Suriname has officially moved out of the epidemic phase of chikungunya, according to an announcement from the country’s Bureau for Public Health (BOG). While case numbers have dropped sharply across most of the nation, public health officials warn the mosquito-borne virus still circulates in local communities, and ongoing preventive action remains critical to avoid a new outbreak.

    Stephanie Cheuk A Lam, acting head of BOG’s Environmental Inspection division, confirmed that both laboratory-confirmed cases and symptomatically diagnosed infections have declined to levels that no longer qualify as an epidemic. “We are now out of the epidemic phase. Chikungunya is still circulating at low levels in Suriname, but the case count is not high enough to trigger major public health concern,” Cheuk A Lam stated in an interview with Suriname’s Communication Service.

    As of the early August update, residual cases are concentrated in two districts: Paramaribo and Brokopondo, where ongoing transmission is still being recorded. All other districts across the country have reported only sporadic isolated infections. BOG also addressed public confusion stirred by recent circulating media content that suggested a new surge in cases: the organization clarified that the widely shared images date back to June, and do not reflect the country’s current epidemiological situation.

    Despite the encouraging decline in infections, BOG stresses that preventive measures cannot be relaxed. The single most critical step the public can take, officials say, is eliminating standing water sites where mosquitoes that carry chikungunya lay their eggs. “If every person does their part to clear mosquito breeding grounds, keep their surrounding communities clean, and stay alert, we can prevent another large outbreak from occurring,” Cheuk A Lam noted.

    BOG points out that insecticide spraying alone is not enough to keep chikungunya under control long-term. Spraying only targets active adult mosquitoes at the time of application, leaving mosquito larvae and eggs untouched in standing water habitats. These dormant eggs and larvae can eventually develop into new mature mosquito populations, triggering a resurgence of transmission. For this reason, eliminating breeding sites entirely is a far more effective long-term strategy.

    With the dry, warm seasonal period underway, BOG is urging the public to pay special attention to common, often overlooked breeding sites: plant pots, flower vases, animal water bowls, and other small standing water storage containers. Covered water storage containers, officials add, should be properly sealed and thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis. “Just because the weather is dry does not mean we are free of mosquitoes,” Cheuk A Lam warned. Mosquito eggs can survive through entire dry seasons, and will hatch once rainfall returns, creating new populations if left unaddressed.

    BOG also advised the public to take any potential chikungunya symptoms seriously and seek prompt medical attention if they develop. Common symptoms include fever, joint pain, retro-orbital pain (pain behind the eyes), and rashes. Because these symptoms overlap with multiple other tropical diseases, official medical assessment is critical to get an accurate diagnosis and appropriate care.

    Moving forward, BOG will continue to closely monitor chikungunya transmission across the country through multiple channels, including routine laboratory testing, ongoing epidemiological surveillance, mandatory hospital reporting, and regular check-ins with targeted outpatient clinics across all districts.

  • Europa maakt zich op voor nieuwe hittegolf na recordtemperaturen

    Europa maakt zich op voor nieuwe hittegolf na recordtemperaturen

    After two months of record-shattering high temperatures that have already triggered devastating wildfires, dried up major river systems, and claimed thousands of lives across the continent, Europe is now bracing for a new wave of extreme heat. This new heat event comes as multiple nations already struggle with the cumulative impacts of repeated heat and drought through the 2026 summer season.

    Early Monday, official extreme heat warnings were already issued for multiple regions across the United Kingdom and France, with forecasters projecting temperatures will climb well above 30 degrees Celsius in the coming days. The United Kingdom, in particular, is facing its fifth consecutive heatwave of the year, with more than 27 million residents currently living under mandatory water use restrictions. To conserve dwindling freshwater supplies, the British government has implemented strict irrigation limits for agricultural producers and banned garden hose use for non-essential purposes across multiple affected regions.

    Tony Grayling, Director of Sustainable Business and Development at the UK’s Environment Agency, warned that the prolonged stretch of hot, dry conditions is taking a severe toll on British agriculture and will leave long-lasting damage to local ecosystems. “The cumulative stress on our land and water resources cannot be understated,” Grayling noted, emphasizing that the impacts will extend far beyond the summer heat season.

    Across the Channel in France, 70 percent of the country is already under water use restrictions, as consecutive heatwaves have pushed drought conditions to critical levels. Non-essential water consumption, including private garden watering, swimming pool filling, car washing and large-scale agricultural crop irrigation, has been limited or banned entirely in most affected areas.

    In Spain, the national meteorological agency AEMET confirmed Monday that July 2026 was the warmest July on record since national temperature tracking began in 1961. It was also the driest July ever recorded for mainland Spain, with total rainfall measuring just 4.3 millimeters – only a quarter of the historical average for the month. The record heat and dryness have also fueled the largest wildfire the country has seen in modern history.

    Dry, heat-amplified conditions have also sparked widespread wildfires in both Greece and southern Spain’s Andalusia region, where emergency crews have been locked in a days-long battle to contain blazes burning near the medieval town of Niebla. Antonio Sanz, head of emergency response for Andalusia, described the firefighting effort as a “long-distance obstacle race” that could continue for days. Nearly 500 local residents have already been evacuated from high-risk areas to ensure public safety.

    The impacts of the prolonged drought are also disrupting critical European supply chains. Germany’s inland waterway association BDB has warned that falling water levels on the Rhine, one of Europe’s most important freight shipping routes, will soon block commercial navigation on key stretches of the river. According to BDB managing director Jens Schwanen, low water has effectively split the Rhine into two unconnected segments, eliminating continuous navigation for large cargo vessels and threatening major disruptions to regional goods transport.

    Climate scientists have repeatedly noted that Europe is warming faster than any other continent on Earth due to human-caused climate change. Beyond the major western European nations, elevated temperatures are also forecast for Switzerland, Austria and Hungary in the coming days, extending the reach of the extreme heat event across much of the continent.

  • Column: Er is geen tweede Borger

    Column: Er is geen tweede Borger

    It was a shock that rippled through Suriname’s media and cultural communities when news broke of Borger Breeveld’s passing on Monday morning. While we all know that life is finite, there are some people who feel as though they should always be with us — and Borger was one of those people for me. A distinct, unforgettable personality, a trailblazer of Suriname’s media sector, and a gifted actor who carved out a unique, permanent place in the nation’s history.

    For most people, mentioning Borger Breeveld immediately brings *Wan Pipel* to mind. His portrayal of Roy in Pim de la Parra’s iconic classic remains etched deep into Suriname’s collective cultural memory, nearly 50 years after the film first premiered, conversations about his performance still continue. Countless Surinamese film and television productions have launched in the decades since, introducing a new wave of local acting talent, but for me, the unmatched impact of *Wan Pipel* has never been equaled — and Borger’s extraordinary acting skill was undeniably a core reason for that lasting legacy.

    My personal memories of Borger extend far beyond his famous role in that film. I first got to know him during a very different chapter of Suriname’s history, when he served as a spokesperson during the country’s military rule. That was no easy era for journalists working in the nation. Power dynamics were fraught, the space for independent journalistic work was tightly constrained, and access to reliable public information was never a given.

    Even in that tense context, Borger remained approachable to reporters. He had empathy for the work journalists needed to do, while also understanding the complexities of the system he operated within. This allowed him to serve as a critical bridge between the press and military leadership. This did not mean all barriers suddenly fell, or every question received an answer — but it meant there was always someone willing to talk, someone who acknowledged that journalists had a job to do. That mattered a great deal in that difficult time.

    Later in his career, I got to see a whole other side of Borger up close: Borger the television producer. When the current affairs program *Suriname Vandaag* launched, he agreed to take on the role of director. I co-led the program and served as one of its co-presenters, so I got to witness his behind-the-scenes talent firsthand.

    *Suriname Vandaag* was broadcast live, a format that anyone working in television knows carries unique pressure. There are no second takes. What happens on air stays on air: a presenter might fumble their lines, a satellite connection could cut out, a segment runs longer than planned, or breaking news can throw the entire run of show completely off schedule. In those moments, you need someone behind the scenes who understands the medium, can make quick, calm decisions, and keep the entire team grounded. That was Borger.

    No one understood the craft of television production better than he did. It was not just knowing where to place a camera or when to cut between angles — he had an intuitive grasp of rhythm, visual storytelling, timing, and on-screen presence. He knew what would resonate with audiences and what would fall flat, and he had a masterful ability to communicate that insight to his team. That last skill is one that should not be underestimated.

    Borger taught the craft to generations of media professionals. An entire cohort of Suriname’s media workers has benefited directly or indirectly from his knowledge and decades of experience. Unlike many people who guard their professional expertise closely, Borger never fit that mold. He was eager to pull others into the field, to help them grow and become better at their work. That is why reducing his legacy to just his role as Roy in *Wan Pipel* does him a deep disservice. He was an actor, yes, but also a director, a producer, a communications strategist, and a teacher. He was part of the pioneering generation that built Suriname’s modern television industry from the ground up, working in an era with far fewer technical resources than we have today.

    Now, almost anyone can shoot footage and stream it live to an audience from a smartphone. But technology alone does not make someone a television professional. Television is a learned craft, and Borger knew that craft inside and out. That is what sticks with me today, alongside the grief of his passing: how much irreplaceable institutional and craft knowledge is lost when a pioneer like Borger leaves us.

    As a country, Suriname has not always done a good job of documenting and passing down the knowledge of the people who built our core industries and cultural sectors. Only when these icons are gone do we realize how much they knew, how many untold stories they carried, how much of our national history is tied to their lives and work. Borger Breeveld was exactly that: a walking, living archive of Suriname’s media and film history.

    For me, I will remember him as I knew him: approachable, deeply knowledgeable, completely at home in every corner of the television industry. He was a man who knew his craft, and dedicated himself to lifting others up along with him.

    *Wan Pipel* will remain, the footage will remain, the memories will remain. And for the many people who learned the craft from him, a part of Borger will live on through their work. But Borger himself is gone. There will never be another like him.

    I send my deepest strength to Borger’s family and all his loved ones as they navigate this enormous loss. Thank you for everything you left to us, and to all of Suriname’s media community. Rest easy, Borger.

  • NIKOS perceptieonderzoek: Wantrouwen beheer olierijkdom; corruptie grootste bedreiging

    NIKOS perceptieonderzoek: Wantrouwen beheer olierijkdom; corruptie grootste bedreiging

    On August 11, new findings from the third national perception survey in Suriname revealed a stark gap between the country’s impending oil and gas-driven economic opportunity and widespread public distrust in how the government will manage and distribute this new wealth. Commissioned by Suriname’s Ministry of Oil, Gas and Environment, the study delivered sobering insights into public attitudes toward governance and natural resource management ahead of the country’s expected energy boom.

    Conducted between June 25 and July 21 by local research firm NIKOS, the survey gathered responses from 1,786 adults aged 18 and older across 49 regional jurisdictions spanning nine of Suriname’s 10 districts. The remote interior district of Sipaliwini was excluded from the sample due to accessibility challenges. Researchers note that the random sampling method used produces a representative snapshot of public opinion across the country.

    The core finding of the report is that 61% of respondents hold little to no confidence that future oil and gas revenues will be managed responsibly. Broken down, 36% reported having little trust, while an additional 25% said they have no trust at all. Just 12% of respondents expressed any meaningful level of confidence: 11% said they had moderate trust, and only 1% reported having high trust. The remaining 27% of respondents took a neutral stance, which researchers frame as further evidence of broad systemic doubt in the government’s ability to steward new energy revenues for the public good.

    This distrust is not limited to any specific demographic or region of the country. A majority of respondents across all education levels hold little or no confidence in government management, with the share rising to two-thirds among respondents with tertiary or university education. District-level data also reflects consistent doubt: 81% of respondents in Brokopondo, 67% in Saramacca, and 66% in Marowijne reported low or no trust, all above the national average of 61%. Even in districts with the highest levels of trust – Nickerie at 47% and Coronie at 50% – nearly half of all respondents still expressed distrust. Researchers conclude that low public confidence is a nationwide phenomenon, not an isolated concern.

    When asked to identify the greatest threats to Suriname’s future development, 65% of respondents named corruption and poor governance – far outpacing the second-most cited risk, political instability, which was selected by just 32%. Crime and economic instability tied at 26%, while brain drain, inadequate education, and a lack of skilled workforce each drew 22% of responses. Overdependence on oil and gas was cited by only 17% of respondents, and climate change by just 10%. The report emphasizes that this makes clear: the public does not see a lack of economic opportunity as Suriname’s biggest challenge; instead, it sees mismanagement and corruption as the primary barrier to progress. This concern grows with education level, with higher-skilled respondents more likely to name poor governance as a top risk.

    Public doubt extends beyond questions of competent management to fairness of distribution. Seven out of 10 respondents expect that the benefits of oil and gas development will accrue almost entirely to a small, elite group. This deep-seated expectation of unequal distribution reinforces the public’s demand for accountable governance and anti-corruption action, researchers say. That demand is underscored by another striking finding: 91% of respondents agree that good governance and reduced corruption are more important than generating new oil and gas revenues themselves. This is one of the most widely shared positions captured in the entire survey.

    Notably, the survey found that Surinamese do not reject the economic opportunity of new oil and gas development. In fact, 37% of respondents identified natural resources as one of Suriname’s greatest strengths for the future, outranking the country’s tropical rainforest and biodiversity (28%) and its multicultural society (23%).

    The overarching takeaway from the survey is clear: as Suriname prepares to enter a new era of energy-led economic growth, the government faces a far greater challenge than developing its resource reserves. The public does not need to be convinced that oil and gas can deliver growth; instead, the government must prove it can manage revenues transparently, distribute benefits fairly, and govern in the broad public interest. Right now, the survey confirms, most Surinamese remain unconvinced.

  • 57 verkeersdoden in eerste helft 2026

    57 verkeersdoden in eerste helft 2026

    Between January and July 2025, Suriname has recorded 57 fatal road traffic casualties, according to new official data published by the country’s Road Safety Institute (VVI). Alongside these fatalities, a total of 2,259 people injured in road incidents have required emergency department (SEH) care across the nation, averaging out to nearly 11 people treated for crash-related injuries every single day. A breakdown of the fatal victims shows just how vulnerable two-wheeled road users are: 18 of the 57 people killed were moped riders, followed by 9 car drivers, 7 pedestrians, 6 vehicle passengers, and 5 bus passengers, among other groups. Geographically, the burden of fatal crashes is heavily concentrated in just two districts. The coastal district of Wanica recorded 19 fatalities, while the capital district of Paramaribo saw 18 deaths. Combined, these two districts account for almost 65% of all fatal road casualties in the country for the period measured. When looking at monthly trends, January was the deadliest month with 15 fatalities, followed by July with 12 deaths, marking two clear peak periods for fatal incidents. Purcy Landveld, VVI’s deputy director for Data, Education and Information, notes that these geographic and monthly trends mean Paramaribo and Wanica must be prioritized for targeted traffic enforcement, infrastructure upgrades, and public road safety education. The emergency department data also highlights a stark demographic gap in crash risk. Nearly 60% of all 2,259 injured patients treated for road crashes were between 15 and 34 years old, a young age group disproportionately affected by traffic incidents. Moped and motorcycle riders again make up the largest share of injured patients, accounting for nearly 59% of all emergency department registrations, with vehicle passengers following at 24%. Researchers also found that weekends carry the highest risk of injury-causing crashes: 45% of all emergency department admissions for road incidents occur between Friday and Sunday, with Sunday seeing the highest number of casualties of any day of the week. The VVI’s analysis also identified specific high-risk routes that have seen repeated fatal incidents, including Indira Gandhiweg, Garnizoenspad, and Martin Luther Kingweg. The institute emphasizes that urgent improvements to road design, street lighting, and public education on safe road behavior are needed to reduce preventable deaths and injuries on these routes. Currently, the four leading causes of fatal crashes in Suriname are loss of vehicle control, failure to yield right of way, excessive speeding, and collisions involving pedestrians or cyclists. Additional contributing factors, including alcohol impairment and driver fatigue, are still undergoing further investigation to confirm their impact on crash rates. Landveld stressed that road safety cannot be addressed by a single stakeholder: it is a shared responsibility across government agencies, civil society, and road users themselves. He called for the rapid establishment of a dedicated national road traffic authority to centrally coordinate all policy areas related to traffic management and safety. Only through cohesive, long-term structural measures, Landveld argues, can Suriname achieve a sustained reduction in the number of road crash casualties across the country.

  • Eerste cao tussen IWWO en DP World Paramaribo rond

    Eerste cao tussen IWWO en DP World Paramaribo rond

    After more than a year of structured negotiations, the Integra/DP World Workers Organization (IWWO) and DP World’s Paramaribo operations have finalized and agreed to their first-ever collective labor agreement, a landmark deal that establishes a formal framework for labor-management relations at the South American port facility.

    Robby Berenstein, chairperson of IWWO and the figure identified second from left in accompanying photos of the negotiations, called the new agreement a critical foundational milestone for future collaboration between the port’s workforce and its executive leadership. Negotiations for the deal were first launched in June 2025, when representatives from IWWO’s governing board and DP World Paramaribo’s management came together to draft an initial outline that set core priorities and ground rules for talks. By March 2026, the parties had produced a fully developed draft agreement complete with specific, binding clauses and operational provisions.

    Berenstein emphasized that the entire negotiation process unfolded in a constructive, collaborative atmosphere. He credited open dialogue, mutual trust, and a shared commitment to crafting a modern, balanced agreement that meets the needs of both sides for the efficient, successful completion of talks. “We are delighted that this process has resulted in an agreement that aligns with the needs of today and prepares us to address the challenges of tomorrow,” Berenstein stated in remarks following the finalization of the deal.

    DP World Paramaribo’s negotiation team was led by a cross-functional group of senior leaders including People Manager Xamira Visser, Chief Executive Officer Mervel Kotzebue, and Shalinie Ramdjas, Employee Engagement and Compensation Human Resources Business Partner.

    As the first formal collective bargaining agreement between the two organizations, particular focus was placed throughout negotiations on striking a fair, sustainable balance between the interests of the port’s 83 IWWO member workers and the operational needs of DP World as the employer. The finalized accord formalizes agreements on a range of core workplace issues, including employment terms, worker rights, and shared responsibilities for both parties.

    For IWWO, the new agreement also represents a key step forward in professionalizing formal social dialogue within DP World Paramaribo. The organization says the deal will serve as a enduring framework for long-term sustainable labor relations, tying together worker interests, business growth, and constructive social partnership between management and the workforce. Currently, IWWO counts 83 registered members among DP World Paramaribo’s staff.

  • CASAS: Onjuiste documenten vertraagden inzet vervangend SLM-toestel

    CASAS: Onjuiste documenten vertraagden inzet vervangend SLM-toestel

    Paramaribo, Suriname – A planned operational disruption for national carrier Surinam Airways (SLM) has thrown hundreds of stranded passengers into travel limbo, after the country’s civil aviation safety regulator rejected an initial request to deploy a leased replacement aircraft due to incomplete and inaccurate paperwork.

    The Civil Aviation Safety Authority Suriname (CASAS) released an official statement on Monday responding to widespread public coverage of SLM’s service disruptions and the airline’s push to bring in a substitute plane to repatriate passengers left stranded by the incident. In its statement, the regulator acknowledged the significant inconvenience and discomfort the disruption has caused affected travelers, and understands the urgency of finding a fast resolution to get passengers back on their journeys.

    However, CASAS emphasized that as the country’s national civil aviation oversight body, it bears a statutory responsibility to enforce strict aviation safety standards across all commercial flight operations. For the agency, passenger safety must remain the top non-negotiable priority at all times, meaning every flight requiring regulatory approval must meet all applicable legal safety requirements before it can enter service.

    Under Suriname’s aviation regulations, any operator seeking to deploy a leased replacement aircraft must submit all legally required documentation and operational data to CASAS for pre-approval inspection and assessment. In SLM’s case, the paperwork submitted by the airline failed to meet this standard: the submitted package was incomplete and contained incorrect data that left regulators unable to conduct a full safety verification. As a result, CASAS could not grant approval in good faith without compromising its safety mandate.

    The regulator confirmed Monday afternoon that it had received the corrected documentation from SLM, allowing the paused assessment process to resume and all required safety checks to be completed. The official statement did not explicitly confirm whether final approval had already been granted to the airline as of Monday afternoon.

    CASAS reiterated that it deeply regrets the difficult situation stranded passengers currently face, but made clear that it will not relax its safety oversight commitments to speed up processing, reaffirming that passenger protection will remain its core guiding principle in all regulatory decisions.

  • Zware aardbeving met kracht van 7,4 treft west-Colombia: minstens 111 doden en enorme schade

    Zware aardbeving met kracht van 7,4 treft west-Colombia: minstens 111 doden en enorme schade

    On Monday, August 10, 2026, a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake rocked western Colombia, leaving at least 111 people dead and causing severe damage to hundreds of structures across the affected region. The newly inaugurated Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella quickly declared a state of emergency to speed up rescue operations and recovery work, announcing he would personally visit the disaster zone, which is concentrated largely around the rural Chocó region.

    According to both the U.S. Geological Survey and Colombia’s national seismological service, the quake’s epicenter was located in San José del Palmar, a community of roughly 4,800 residents in Chocó Province, approximately 400 kilometers west of the capital Bogotá. The tremor originated at a depth of 107 kilometers, and shaking was felt as far as neighboring Ecuador and Panama, though those countries reported only minimal damage.

    Two of Colombia’s departments, Risaralda and Valle del Cauca, suffered the worst impacts. In Risaralda, home to the major city of Pereira, at least 40 people lost their lives. Valle del Cauca, which includes the large urban center of Cali, recorded 27 fatalities, three of whom were children. Nine deaths were confirmed in Chocó itself, two in Caldas, and one in Antioquia, alongside dozens of injuries across all affected areas.

    Major cities including Pereira, Quibdó, Cali and Manizales all reported extensive structural damage. In Pereira, the ceiling of the local airport collapsed, triggering panic among traveling passengers. Pereira Mayor Mauricio Salazar confirmed at least 18 local deaths and noted that many people remained trapped beneath collapsed buildings. In Manizales, one tower of the city’s iconic neo-Gothic cathedral crumbled, prompting Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas to urge all residents to remain outdoors amid ongoing fears of aftershocks.

    Colombia’s Geological Institute confirmed this earthquake is the strongest to hit the country in the past 10 years. Two aftershocks, measuring magnitude 2.8 and 4.8 respectively, followed the initial major tremor. Flight operations were suspended at multiple regional airports across the impacted zone, including those in Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, Buenaventura and Pereira.

    The Pacific coastal region of Colombia where the quake struck sits along the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped zone circling the Pacific Ocean where roughly 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes occur. Compounding challenges for rescue teams, Chocó is one of Colombia’s poorest and most remote regions, largely covered in dense jungle and only accessible by boat or small plane, a geographic barrier that complicates delivery of emergency aid.

    This disaster comes just weeks after two devastating earthquakes hit neighboring Venezuela in late June that killed more than 5,000 people, deepening the sense of shared tragedy for communities across the Andean region. Notably, President de la Espriella, who was only sworn into office last weekend, has taken personal command of the national disaster response. In an address to the nation, he reassured affected residents that the Colombian state is taking urgent action, saying, “You are not alone in this.”

    International offers of support and condolences began rolling in quickly from across the globe. Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador and the United States have all extended sympathy and pledged emergency assistance. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on social media that the U.S. government is monitoring the situation closely and stands ready to support Colombia’s response efforts. The United Nations also confirmed it is prepared to deploy aid and technical support to the disaster zone.

    For residents of western Colombia, the quake was a terrifying, unprecedented experience. Jorge Moncayo, a taxi driver based in Cali, described the experience: “My entire house was shaking. I have never felt an earthquake this strong in my life. We thank God we are alive.”

    While minor seismic activity is relatively common across Colombia, major quakes above magnitude 6.0 are rare. The deadliest seismic event in recent Colombian history was a 6.2-magnitude quake near Armenia in 1999 that killed more than 1,100 people. Authorities have warned residents that additional aftershocks remain possible over the coming days. Currently, emergency response efforts are focused on three core priorities: searching for trapped survivors, providing urgent medical care to the injured, and repairing critical damaged infrastructure in the hardest-hit communities.