Carib Scope

标签： Suriname

苏里南

  • Eerste Heritage Month moet Surinamers dichter bij elkaar brengen

    Eerste Heritage Month moet Surinamers dichter bij elkaar brengen

    On August 1, Suriname launched a landmark new national initiative with the official opening of its first-ever Heritage Month, an event designed to center the country’s collective past, celebrate its abundant cultural richness, and build a unified vision for its shared future. The opening ceremony unfolded in two symbolic stages: it began at the Queen Wilhelmina monument adjacent to Fort Zeelandia, where government officials, foreign diplomats, and cultural sector representatives gathered before undertaking a ceremonial walk to Palmentuin. This stroll was intentionally staged to represent the journey from honoring historical memory to fostering connection, cultural exchange, and national solidarity. President Jennifer Simons, hailed by event host Clifton Braam as the founding visionary behind Heritage Month, led the official opening and unveiled the initiative’s official logo, with plans to embed the annual celebration as a permanent fixture across the country’s education, cultural, and community spheres.

    The overarching theme for this inaugural edition of Heritage Month is “However we came together, this is how we move forward together” — a framing that reflects the nation’s commitment to embracing its full, complex history to strengthen collective purpose. In her keynote address, President Simons emphasized that Heritage Month is far more than a series of cultural events; it is intended to grow into a lasting, cross-sector program that brings together education institutions, academic researchers, and government policymakers to deepen public understanding of Suriname’s shared history and narrow persistent social and regional divides. “Suriname is not just home to diversity — we are diversity,” the head of state stated. She shared her hope that the initiative will help all Surinamese grow increasingly aware of their shared responsibility to one another, adding, “I hope that all Surinamese will increasingly recognize that we are our brother’s keeper.”

    Organized around four sequential core themes — origins of ancestral communities, the journey of Suriname’s forebears, centuries of coexistence across groups, and documenting progress for future generations — the Heritage Month program is designed to both reflect on the past and actively build a cohesive shared national identity, according to the Suriname Communication Service. Minister of Internal Affairs Marinus Bee noted that cultural heritage is a living, evolving reality, visible in the daily lives of families, the multiplicity of languages spoken across the country, long-held traditions, and vibrant local communities. Bee stressed that entrepreneurs, artists, and the tourism sector all play critical roles in preserving and promoting Suriname’s unique national identity. “Heritage Month is not a nostalgic look backward,” he explained. “It is an invitation to look forward, to build bridges between young and old, between urban centers and rural districts, between the past and the future.”

    Minister of Education, Science and Culture Dirk Currie underscored the critical importance of documenting Suriname’s history from the perspective of its own people, rather than outside narratives. He noted that education and academic research must ensure that younger generations not only learn where Suriname comes from, but also understand how its diverse modern society took shape. Currie also highlighted the underrecognized economic value of cultural heritage: by growing the creative sector, supporting traditional crafts, and expanding cultural tourism, heritage preservation can both protect cultural identity and drive new job creation and inclusive economic growth. “A large part of our history was written by the people who enslaved us,” Currie said. “That has to change.”

    Rachel Pinas, chair of the presidential working group for Heritage Month, called the opening a historic turning point for the nation. She explained that August 1 was intentionally selected as the launch date to ensure the initiative creates space to honor Suriname’s full history, including its Indigenous roots, colonial era, the experience of chattel slavery, indentured contract labor, and all subsequent waves of migration. Pinas referenced Article 8 of Suriname’s constitution, which enshrines equality and bans discrimination, noting that Heritage Month is intended to reinforce these foundational values and ultimately secure a permanent, structural place in national education and community life. “Today we are making history,” Pinas emphasized. “With the opening of the first Heritage Month, the Republic of Suriname makes a deliberate choice to embrace our shared history as the foundation for our shared future.”

    The first Heritage Month will run from August 1 through August 31. Throughout the month, community and national events will be hosted across every region of the country, focused on celebrating Suriname’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage, highlighting its extraordinary cultural diversity, and deepening public understanding of its collective shared history.

  • Infantino schrapt omstreden World Cup-investeringplan na felle kritiek van UEFA en bonden

    Infantino schrapt omstreden World Cup-investeringplan na felle kritiek van UEFA en bonden

    On Friday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino made a sudden announcement that he was pulling back his highly controversial proposal to sell a minority stake in the FIFA World Cup and other top FIFA tournaments to private investors. This landmark reversal comes after a fierce wave of criticism from football’s governing bodies across the globe, led by the European Football Association (UEFA) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), alongside widespread pushback from dozens of football stakeholders inside and outside the sport.

    In an official statement, Infantino acknowledged that the initiative, branded as the FIFA Future Enterprise (FFE) project, had sown deep division across the international football community. “After carefully weighing all perspectives, it has become clear that this project has created division that, regardless of its level of support, runs counter to our original goals,” he said.

    Under the original FFE framework, FIFA planned to launch a new commercial subsidiary that would manage operations for the World Cup and all other FIFA-run international tournaments. Private investors would have been invited to purchase approximately 20% of the subsidiary’s outstanding shares, a funding round that analysts projected would raise roughly $4.2 billion, valuing the entire entity at $20 billion.

    The plan sparked immediate disbelief and outrage across global football. As the most powerful regional confederation, UEFA took an uncompromising stance against the proposal, announcing just one day before Infantino’s reversal that the body had lost all confidence in both the FIFA president and the current FIFA governing board. UEFA went as far as threatening a full boycott of all FIFA competitions if the stake sale moved forward. Core criticisms centered on the proposal’s complete lack of transparency, its rushed development timeline, and widespread anger that such a landmark decision was being negotiated behind closed doors without any meaningful consultation with member confederations and other key stakeholders.

    The AFC echoed UEFA’s condemnation, calling the top-down approach to rolling out the plan “completely unacceptable” and emphasizing that any decision impacting the future of global football must be rooted in full transparency and collaborative governance.

    Pressure on Infantino built rapidly in the days leading up to the reversal, as more regional confederations, political leaders, and influential football organizations lined up to oppose the plan. Two senior FIFA officials resigned from their posts in protest, with one publicly denouncing the proposal as a bad deal for the sport. Criticism also mounted from leaders within FIFA’s own internal administration.

    While Infantino has long held a broad base of support across global football, particularly from African confederations, his position as president is now considered fragile. FIFA’s presidential election, scheduled for March 2027, is now widely viewed as a critical turning point where Infantino’s leadership could face a serious challenge. The 56-year-old incumbent is seeking a fourth term in office, and high-profile potential challengers already include AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, a past rival to Infantino, and Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Paris Saint-Germain chairman and an influential UEFA executive.

    UEFA issued a response to the plan’s withdrawal on Saturday, welcoming the reversal but making clear that trust in Infantino has been severely damaged. “We cannot continue to tolerate secret plans pushed through at breakneck speed by unaccountable actors that bring the future of our game into question,” the confederation said in a statement. “We must identify those responsible and hold them to account.”

    UEFA further emphasized that global football is not for sale, arguing that FIFA’s existing financial resources should be redirected toward growing the sport across developing regions, rather than selling off “the family silver” to private commercial interests.

    The FFE proposal represented a major break from the longstanding traditional model through which FIFA has financed and governed its flagship tournaments. While private investment in club football has become standard across European club leagues, the idea of selling even a partial stake in the World Cup — the most iconic event in global sport — to private commercial entities triggered widespread resistance. Fans and federations alike have raised concerns that an increased focus on private profit would overshadow the sport’s core values, erode competitive integrity, and undermine the interests of smaller, developing national federations.

    Though the controversial plan has been pulled from the table, UEFA warned that the withdrawal only marks the first step in repairing broken trust in FIFA’s governance. The coming months will be decisive for Infantino’s future as president, as the global football community pushes for greater transparency, collaborative decision-making, and respect for established governance frameworks. The 2027 presidential election, which is now expected to bring a serious challenge to Infantino’s leadership, is already being framed as a turning point that will define the future direction of world football’s governing body.

  • Caribische ontwikkelingsbank onderzoekt regionale effectenbeurs voor Caricom

    Caribische ontwikkelingsbank onderzoekt regionale effectenbeurs voor Caricom

    The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has launched a landmark initiative to advance economic integration across the Caribbean Community (Caricom), committing $100,000 to fund a feasibility assessment for establishing a regional securities exchange under the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) framework.

    The assessment will be carried out by the Caricom Private Sector Organization (CPSO), which has been tasked with mapping out the technical, legal, and economic viability of a unified regional exchange. Beyond core viability checks, the study will also evaluate which operating model best aligns with the unique needs of individual member states and their existing domestic financial markets.

    CDB officials emphasize that deepening and expanding accessible regional capital markets is a critical prerequisite to boosting entrepreneurship, accelerating innovation, and attracting sustained investment across the Caribbean. “Long-term growth across the Caribbean depends on our ability to build financial systems that give businesses streamlined access to the capital they need to expand,” explained Lisa Harding, head of CDB’s Private Sector Division.

    This feasibility study marks the official first phase of a broader project aimed at advancing deeper financial integration across Caricom. Over the course of the assessment, researchers will examine regional demand for capital market services, opportunities to harmonize cross-border financial regulations, successful global case studies of regional exchanges, and priorities from both member state governments and private sector stakeholders.

    A unified regional exchange would deliver widespread benefits across the bloc: it would give domestic firms from small member states far easier access to capital from regional investors, while simultaneously offering local investors exposure to a far broader pool of assets than the tiny, fragmented national exchanges currently operating across most of the Caribbean.

    For small economies like Suriname, the initiative carries particularly high stakes. Suriname’s domestic capital market is currently very small, with only a limited number of listed domestic companies. Access to a regional exchange would remove key barriers to growth for Surinamese firms, making it far simpler to secure financing for expansion and large-scale investment projects. Beyond individual national benefits, an integrated capital market would also boost cross-border investment flows across Caricom and strengthen overall economic cooperation between member states.

    The concept of a regional Caribbean securities exchange is not a new one: discussions around building an integrated capital market as a core pillar of the CSME have been ongoing for decades. A unified exchange has long been framed as a critical infrastructure to enable the free movement of capital across the bloc and better connect the region’s fragmented financial systems. With CDB’s new funding for the feasibility study, the long-discussed initiative has finally received tangible new momentum. The study’s final findings will clarify whether the region is prepared to move forward with the project, and outline what regulatory and institutional steps will be required to turn the plan into a working reality.

  • VN: Krachtige El Niño versterkt hitte op een ‘planeet die al in brand staat’

    VN: Krachtige El Niño versterkt hitte op een ‘planeet die al in brand staat’

    The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a United Nations specialized agency for climate and weather, has issued an urgent warning that a rapidly strengthening El Niño event will dominate global weather patterns over the coming months and drive widespread extreme weather conditions across the planet.

    Published on Friday, the WMO’s latest climate update confirms that this recurring climate phenomenon, driven by abnormal warm water buildup in the central Pacific Ocean, has already elevated the global risk of catastrophic heatwaves, prolonged droughts, and severe flooding. The alert comes at a time when vulnerable regions are already reeling from climate-related disasters: massive wildfires are tearing through parts of Africa and Europe, while unusually heavy monsoon rains in South Asia have caused widespread disruption and displacement.

    “El Niño is not just on our doorstep — it is already here, and it is turning up the heat,” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres stated in response to the update. “This is just a warm-up. El Niño is growing stronger, and it is adding fuel to a planet that is already on fire.”

    Forecasters project that sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific Ocean will rise to more than 2.9 degrees Celsius above long-term historical averages. This extreme ocean warming disrupts established global weather systems and pushes overall planetary temperatures even higher, compounding the decades-long trend of human-caused global warming.

    Guterres has called on national governments to drastically accelerate climate action, noting that the impacts of El Niño are intersecting with human-induced climate change to create an unprecedented climate emergency. He specifically identified the continued expansion of fossil fuel production as the core driver worsening the crisis, and called for an immediate halt to all new coal, oil, and gas development projects.

    Per the WMO forecast, nearly all global land areas will see well-above-average temperatures through the duration of the event. The most severe heatwaves are expected to hit regions across Africa, Southern Europe, the Indian subcontinent, East Asia, and South America.

    WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo emphasized that while El Niño is being closely monitored by scientific agencies worldwide, early warning forecasts must translate into immediate, concrete action from governments and humanitarian organizations to protect the most vulnerable communities. “Forecasts cannot prevent hazards — people do,” Saulo said. “The decisions we make today will determine the impact we face tomorrow.”

    Right now, Southern Europe is already battling multiple large-scale wildfires, amplified by ongoing heatwaves that have dried out vegetation and drastically increased wildfire risk. Spain, Portugal, and Greece have reported record numbers of blazes this season, which have destroyed thousands of hectares of natural land and forced thousands of residents to evacuate their homes.

    Beyond wildfires, El Niño is triggering severe drought in other regions across the globe. In parts of East Africa, the phenomenon has led to failed rainy seasons, leaving millions facing acute food insecurity and severe water scarcity. South American nations including Peru and Brazil are also grappling with persistent drought that threatens agricultural output and access to clean drinking water for local populations.

    Climate scientists warn that this El Niño event could reach record strength by the second half of 2026, further increasing the likelihood of extreme, destructive weather events across the globe. While there remain minor uncertainties in climate computer models, the overarching conclusion is clear: the combination of a powerful El Niño and long-term human-caused climate change is placing unprecedented pressure on the planet’s ecosystems and human communities.

  • SGES: UNESCO-waarschuwing moet keerpunt zijn voor historische binnenstad

    SGES: UNESCO-waarschuwing moet keerpunt zijn voor historische binnenstad

    One of South America’s most unique colonial urban heritage sites is facing an uncertain future, after UNESCO placed Paramaribo’s historic inner city on its roster of World Heritage in Danger. Suriname’s primary heritage conservation body, the Stichting Gebouwd Erfgoed Suriname (SGES), says the designation, while disappointing, could be the critical catalyst needed to reverse decades of inadequate protection for the iconic site.

    First inscribed on the regular UNESCO World Heritage List in 2002, Paramaribo’s inner city earned its protected status for two defining traits: it retains an almost completely intact 17th-19th century colonial urban planning grid, and it showcases one-of-a-kind traditional wooden architecture that blends European and Caribbean design influences. “When you compare the current street layout to 18th century maps, you’ll find barely any change to the city’s core structure,” SGES acting director Rachel Deekman explained in an interview with Suriname’s Communication Service (CDS) on Friday. “This unbroken continuity is what makes Paramaribo truly one-of-a-kind globally.”

    That irreplaceable outstanding universal value, however, has come under growing threat in recent years. The endangered listing was not an unexpected decision, Deekman emphasized. It followed a years-long process during which UNESCO repeatedly issued formal recommendations to address risks to the heritage site, few of which were implemented by local authorities and stakeholders. If damage to the site’s historic character continues unchecked, Deekman warned, Paramaribo faces the ultimate consequence of losing its UNESCO World Heritage status entirely.

    Two key threats top the list of concerns flagged by UNESCO and SGES. First is unregulated development that overruns restrictions on building height within the protected historic zone. UNESCO does not oppose progress or modernization, Deekman noted, but it requires all new construction to align with the low-rise character that defines Paramaribo’s historic cityscape. For generations, Paramaribo developed as a low-density city with no tall buildings – a signature trait that new projects have repeatedly violated in recent years. “UNESCO repeatedly called for changes to proposed designs and height limits for these developments, but those recommendations were never followed,” Deekman said.

    The second major threat is fire risk. Paramaribo’s historic wooden architecture has always been vulnerable to blaze, a lesson reinforced by two catastrophic city-wide fires in 1821 and 1832, and a major fire just last year that destroyed multiple historic structures. Every lost monument further erodes the site’s unique global value, Deekman added.

    Despite the disappointing turn of events that led to the endangered designation, SGES remains optimistic that the international wake-up call will prove to be a turning point. “It is regrettable that matters had to progress to this point, but we hope this designation will act as a much-needed stimulus to finally implement all required conservation measures,” Deekman said. The heritage foundation is calling for coordinated action from the national government, private property owners, and other relevant stakeholders to heed UNESCO’s warning, collaborate on addressing the identified threats, and preserve Paramaribo’s irreplaceable historic inner city for future generations.

  • Finabank eerste commerciële bank in NOB/IDB-programma voor extra financiering MKB

    Finabank eerste commerciële bank in NOB/IDB-programma voor extra financiering MKB

    On Friday, Suriname’s Nationale Ontwikkelingsbank (NOB) and local commercial lender Finabank marked a historic milestone in the country’s small and medium enterprise (SME) development landscape, signing the first ever second-tier loan agreement under a joint financing initiative between NOB and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). This agreement makes Finabank the first commercial financial institution in Suriname to gain access to additional credit earmarked specifically for supporting SME investments.

    The partnership forms a core component of the IDB’s $SU-L1069 program, officially titled the Financing Program for Productive and Sustainable Development in Suriname. Under the program’s structure, the IDB has extended a core loan to the government of Suriname, with NOB tapped as the implementing body responsible for on-lending funds to local commercial partners. Through the newly signed agreement, Finabank will gain access to a pool of additional capital, which it will then disburse as tailored loans to local SME owners across the country.

    The allocated funds are targeted at high-impact investment priorities: business expansion, operational innovation, transitions to more sustainable business models, and new job creation. Stakeholders across all partnering institutions have emphasized that this first agreement represents a critical step forward in strengthening financing access for Suriname’s entire business community.

    Under the program’s unique second-tier lending model, NOB acts as an intermediary: it receives the core funding from the IDB-backed initiative, then passes these resources on to participating commercial banks like Finabank, which in turn handle direct lending to SME entrepreneurs. This structure is specifically designed to address longstanding gaps in credit access for small and medium-sized businesses, enabling more enterprises to pursue growth-oriented and sustainable development investments.

    A defining feature of the broader program is its explicit focus on advancing inclusive economic growth. Special provisions have been built in to prioritize lending to underrepresented entrepreneur groups, including women-led businesses, organic agricultural operations, and enterprises owned by or serving Maroon and Indigenous communities. NOB officials noted that the program is intentionally structured to better support entrepreneurs who have historically faced systemic barriers to accessing affordable credit, helping them expand operations and strengthen their economic standing.

    Beyond expanding credit flow to SMEs, the initiative also aims to drive long-term development of Suriname’s domestic financial sector. Participating financial institutions receive support to expand and deepen their credit portfolios, equipping them to play a larger role in funding productive, growth-generating investments across the national economy.

    With its established expertise and leading position in corporate lending, NOB identifies Finabank as a key strategic partner for rolling out the program across the country. The collaboration between the public development bank and the private commercial lender is expected to help build a financing framework that is far more aligned with the actual needs of Suriname’s entrepreneurs. According to NOB leadership, the signing of this first agreement marks a significant milestone toward building a more robust business climate and advancing inclusive, sustainable economic growth across Suriname.

  • Nauru herneemt traditionele naam Naoero en eert zijn erfgoed

    Nauru herneemt traditionele naam Naoero en eert zijn erfgoed

    The tiny Pacific island nation previously known globally as Nauru has formally restored its traditional indigenous name, officially becoming the Republic of Naoero in a historic move that reverses a colonial-era alteration and advances the preservation of the country’s unique cultural heritage.

    As the world’s third smallest sovereign state, ranking only behind Vatican City and Monaco, Naoero is home to roughly 12,000 people. The current name change traces its origins back more than a century, to the period of European colonial rule over the island. Colonizers altered the original indigenous name Naoero to Nauru because they found the traditional pronunciation difficult to master. In the local Dorerin Naoero language, Naoero translates directly to “our island”, carrying centuries of collective history and cultural meaning for the indigenous population.

    The formal transition follows a constitutional amendment approved by the country’s parliament back in May. On Wednesday evening, President David Adeang announced via social media that a planned national referendum on the name change had been canceled. He explained that the change does not introduce a new identity that requires popular approval, but instead formally recognizes the identity that the Naoero people have held since long before colonial intervention.

    “The decision to cancel the referendum came after careful consideration,” Adeang stated. “Naoero is not a new name seeking public acceptance. It has always been the identity of our people, it is already featured on our national coat of arms, and it is used in daily conversation across our communities. Above all, it is fully permitted under our existing constitution.”

    Under the new official designation, the country’s short formal name is now Naoero, and residents will be referred to as dei-Naoero. The government has already notified all relevant international organizations and foreign governments of the change, and the gradual transition to update official documents, global references, and state communications is already underway.

    Despite the country’s small geographic size and population, the name change carries profound symbolic and practical significance for the indigenous community’s efforts to preserve its cultural identity. Adeang emphasized that the move is not a political statement, but a step rooted in cultural stewardship and intergenerational heritage protection. “This initiative is intended to preserve the legacy of our ancestors and strengthen the cultural foundation we pass on to our children,” he said.

    The restoration of the traditional name aligns with broader government efforts to safeguard Naoero’s endangered indigenous language. Dorerin Naoero is currently classified as “severely endangered” by UNESCO. While the language remains in daily use within local communities, it has not historically been a standard part of the national education curriculum. Last year, however, the government passed legislation to integrate the language into school curricula in the coming years, marking another major milestone in protecting and revitalizing the country’s indigenous cultural heritage.

    Taken together, the name change and the move to expand indigenous language education highlight the small island nation’s ongoing commitment to preserving its unique cultural identity in the face of historical colonial erasure and the homogenizing pressures of modern globalization.

  • Robinhood strandt in halve finale CFU Club Shield met 3-1 nederlaag tegen Mount Pleasant FA

    Robinhood strandt in halve finale CFU Club Shield met 3-1 nederlaag tegen Mount Pleasant FA

    In a tense 2026 CFU Club Shield semi-final clash held in Trinidad and Tobago on Friday, Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant FA defeated Suriname’s SV Robinhood 3-1 to secure a spot in the tournament’s championship match, ending Robinhood’s impressive run in the regional competition.

    Mount Pleasant came out of the gate with clear control of the match, dictating play through sustained possession and putting the Surinamese side under constant defensive pressure. Their early dominance paid off in the 32nd minute, when defender Daniel Green was fouled inside the 18-yard box. The referee immediately awarded a penalty, and forward Trayvone Reid converted the spot kick flawlessly to put Mount Pleasant up 1-0, a scoreline that held through halftime.

    Robinhood emerged from the locker room after the break with renewed attacking intent, hoping to flip the script of the match. However, their improved momentum was short-lived. In the 57th minute, Jashaun Anglin capitalized on a costly defensive mistake from Robinhood, slotting home a misplayed backpass to double Mount Pleasant’s lead to 2-0.

    The Jamaican side put the result beyond doubt with nine minutes remaining in regulation. Robinhood goalkeeper Fonkel misjudged a long-range strike from Demario Phillips, incorrectly assuming the attempt was a cross into the box. The ball sailed past him into the far corner of the net, pushing Mount Pleasant’s advantage to 3-0.

    Though the match was all but decided, Robinhood refused to capitulate. In the 90th minute, striker Gilberto Cronie scored a late consolation goal for the Surinamese outfit, rounding out the final score at 3-1. While official possession statistics show only a narrow 52% to 48% split in Mount Pleasant’s favor, the Jamaican side held the initiative for nearly the entire 90 minutes. Robinhood struggled to build play out from under Mount Pleasant’s relentless pressing, which forced the errors that their opposition ultimately turned into match-winning goals.

    The defeat brings an end to a standout campaign for SV Robinhood in the 2026 CFU Club Shield. The Surinamese semi-champions booked their semi-final spot with back-to-back wins over Saint Lucia’s La Clery FC (2-0) and Guyana’s Slingerz FC, reaffirming their status as one of the most successful clubs in the tournament’s history. Robinhood previously claimed the CFU Club Shield title in 2019 and 2023.

    For Mount Pleasant, the victory advances the club to the tournament final scheduled for Sunday, 2 August. They will face the winner of the second semi-final fixture between Puerto Rico’s Metropolitan FA and the Dominican Republic’s Delfines del Este. Both the finalists and the overall champion of the 2026 CFU Club Shield will qualify for the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup, the top-tier club football competition for the Caribbean region.

  • Jogi wil opheldering over gesprekken president Simons in Engeland

    Jogi wil opheldering over gesprekken president Simons in Engeland

    A sitting member of Suriname’s National Assembly, Mahinder Jogi from the ruling VHP party, has formally called on the national government to provide full clarification surrounding President Jennifer Simons’ recent official working trip to the United Kingdom. The lawmaker has highlighted that key details of the visit remain undisclosed to the legislature, including the identities of the international financial institutions and private investors Simons met with, as well as any binding or non-binding agreements reached during those discussions.

    Speaking during Thursday’s plenary session of the National Assembly, Jogi referenced public comments the president made shortly after returning to Suriname from her UK travels. In those post-visit remarks, Simons confirmed she had held talks with representatives from global financial bodies and had formally requested external support to strengthen Suriname’s framework for managing upcoming revenue flows from the country’s developing offshore oil and gas sector.

    Jogi has outlined a series of unanswered questions that the government must address to satisfy parliamentary oversight. First, he has pushed for the full list of participating financial institutions and investment partners that met with the president during the UK visit to be released publicly. Beyond naming the attendees, he is seeking a clear breakdown of the core topics covered in the discussions, specifically around what forms of support for oil and gas revenue management were proposed and discussed.

    The parliamentarian has also called for additional explanation of the “targeted economic transition” that President Simons referenced in her post-visit address. Jogi noted that the administration has not yet defined what the policy actually entails or outlined what specific policy measures are being planned to implement this transition.

    Questions have also been raised about the new investment attraction partnerships Simons announced during her remarks. Jogi wants clarity on whether these partnerships will be forged with commercial banks, multilateral financial institutions, or independent private investors, as well as what terms will guide these collaborations.

    A key point of inquiry centers on the nature of any pledged support from international financial bodies. Jogi has pressed the government to reveal whether the support discussed will come in the form of new loans, another round of sovereign debt restructuring, or alternative forms of technical and financial assistance, given Suriname’s recent history of sovereign debt distress. He has specifically requested full transparency around Simons’ confirmed meeting with Bank of America representatives, asking for a full readout of what was discussed and what outcomes the meeting could deliver for the South American nation.

  • Italiaanse voetballegende Franco Baresi overleden: symbool van loyaliteit en klasse

    Italiaanse voetballegende Franco Baresi overleden: symbool van loyaliteit en klasse

    The global football community is united in grief this week following the announcement of the passing of Franco Baresi, one of the greatest defenders in the history of the sport and a defining icon of both AC Milan and the Italian men’s national football team. The AC Milan board confirmed the news of Baresi’s death at the age of 66 in an official public statement released on Friday.

    A one-club man who dedicated his entire 20-year senior playing career exclusively to AC Milan, Baresi leaves behind a legacy defined by unparalleled loyalty, professional excellence, and on-pitch class. In tribute to his transformative impact on the club, AC Milan retired Baresi’s iconic number 6 shirt in his honor – making him the first player in Italian football history to receive this permanent club honor. In a statement shared by the club, representatives said: “The entire history of AC Milan weeps today.”
    Baresi’s health journey began in August 2025, when he underwent surgery to remove a lung nodule, followed by a course of immunotherapy treatment. His final public appearance came just a few months before his death, when he took part in the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games, carrying the Olympic torch into the San Siro Stadium alongside former Inter Milan defender Giuseppe Bergomi. It was the same ground where Baresi claimed many of his greatest career triumphs.
    Baresi made his senior debut for AC Milan at just 17 years old, and remained unwaveringly loyal to the Rossoneri even when the club was unexpectedly relegated to Serie B in 1982. Remarkably, that same summer, Baresi was part of the Italian squad that won the 1982 FIFA World Cup – a career highlight that cemented his status as a rising star of Italian football. Over the course of his time at AC Milan, he led the club to six Serie A titles, three UEFA Champions League trophies, and a host of other domestic and international honors. His natural leadership and relentless defensive toughness made him the beating heart of AC Milan’s dominant, title-winning sides of the 1980s and 1990s.

    Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was among the first public figures to pay tribute, praising Baresi as a global benchmark of dedication and sporting excellence. “With the passing of Franco Baresi, Italy loses not only one of its greatest ever champions, but also a symbol of loyalty and determination,” Meloni said.
    Baresi’s death comes at a challenging moment for Italian football, which is still reeling after failing to qualify for the upcoming FIFA World Cup – a result that sparked widespread national disappointment and soul-searching across the country. For many observers, Baresi’s enduring legacy of loyalty, resilience, and class stands as a critical guiding light for an Italian football community seeking to rebuild and return to former glories.
    Leading figures from across Italian football have joined fans in honoring Baresi’s memory and his decades-long impact on the sport. His son Giuseppe Baresi, who spent many years as captain of AC Milan’s cross-city rivals Inter Milan, and legendary former Italy and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon were among those to share public tributes. Buffon, who came up against Baresi early in his own career, wrote: “For a boy my age, it was incredible to share the pitch with a champion like him. From that day on, I understood even better what it means to represent football with class, leadership and respect. Ciao Franco. Rest in peace.”
    In 2020, Baresi was named honorary president of AC Milan, and remained actively involved with the club up until his death, a bond that will forever link his name to the Rossoneri’s identity. His legacy stretches far beyond his on-pitch trophy haul: he came to embody core values that unite football and supporters across divides. With his passing, Italian football has lost a legend who stood as a symbol of pride, resilience, and passion for an entire generation. His name will forever remain etched in the hearts of football fans across Italy and around the world.