标签： Suriname

In a significant development for public infrastructure, the Surinamese Water Company (SWM) has successfully extended its pipeline network to connect 38 households in the Devisbuiten neighborhood of Charlesburg. This Wednesday marked the culmination of a long-standing effort to resolve persistent water access issues in the community.

President Jennifer Simons personally inaugurated the project through a symbolic tap-opening ceremony, sampling the first flow of clean drinking water. During the event, she emphasized that reliable access to potable water constitutes a fundamental public service and represents ongoing improvements in national living standards. The head of state outlined the necessity for a strategic, well-considered plan that specifically addresses citizens who cannot independently afford connection costs, with government subsidies available for qualified households.

Recognizing that comprehensive water infrastructure development requires sustained effort, President Simons requested SWM leadership to provide detailed investment requirements for inclusion in upcoming budget deliberations. She additionally urged residents to practice conscientious water conservation habits.

SWM Director Clifton Lienga highlighted the historical challenges faced by Devisbuiten, where residents previously depended on a single public tap—a situation that frequently generated community tensions. Technical assessments ultimately confirmed the feasibility of connecting the area to the existing water grid. “This expansion signifies a substantial enhancement in living conditions and contributes to greater stability, security, and future prospects for residents,” Lienga stated.

The water company confirmed ongoing efforts to broaden service coverage, with Sunny Point (Block 3), Para, and Drepada identified as priority areas for upcoming expansions. Communities including Morico, Perica, and Stolkertsijver are also scheduled for imminent connection. Recent projects have already brought clean water access to Apoera and Wageningen regions.

In a profound Christmas sermon that transcended traditional holiday messaging, Bishop Karel Choennie of Paramaribo has issued a compelling call for national reflection and renewal in Suriname. The religious leader reframed Christmas as more than mere festive tradition, presenting it instead as a vital moment for healing, introspection, and collective responsibility toward the nation’s future.

Addressing a congregation grappling with historical legacy and contemporary challenges, Bishop Choennie drew parallel between the biblical narrative of Bethlehem and Suriname’s current reality. He emphasized that the birth of Jesus represents an enduring invitation to maintain hope despite uncertainty and change—a message particularly resonant amid the country’s ongoing struggles with its complex past.

The bishop confronted Suriname’s painful history with unflinching honesty, acknowledging slavery and contract labor as deep wounds within the national consciousness. While stressing the importance of recognizing historical suffering and ancestral resilience, he cautioned against allowing bitterness to paralyze progress. Christmas, he argued, invites genuine reconciliation—acknowledging past trauma without becoming trapped by it.

Bishop Choennie referenced the colonial period as both suppressing Surinamese identity and fostering growing aspirations for justice and self-determination. He pointed to the December 8th trial proceedings as a painful but necessary reminder that truth must precede healing, suggesting that with grace, historical scars can transform into sources of strength rather than division.

The sermon highlighted significant national milestones, including Suriname’s 1975 independence as a historical turning point that initiated domestic responsibility. The bishop openly addressed subsequent periods of moral and financial decline, democratic challenges, and instances when the nation had to rebuild from ‘ground zero’—yet emphasized the people’s persistent hope throughout these trials.

Notable signs of progress included the election of Suriname’s first female president, which Bishop Choennie characterized as a historic development opening new perspectives and encouraging young women nationwide. He also interpreted the recent visit of the Dutch royal couple as meaningful beyond ceremonial protocol—seeing it as an opportunity for acknowledgment, dialogue, and confronting shared history while strengthening national unity through diversity.

Looking forward, the bishop addressed Suriname’s anticipated oil and gas revenues expected around 2028. While acknowledging their potential to improve infrastructure, education, and healthcare, he warned that economic wealth without moral compass risks creating new divisions. He called for choices centered on justice, integrity, and care for the vulnerable—encouraging Surinamers to share their talents and resources not for personal enrichment but to build an inclusive society.

At its core, Bishop Choennie’s Christmas message emphasized proximity and responsibility. God becoming human in simplicity and vulnerability rather than power and splendor challenges every individual to choose connection over polarization, forgiveness over resentment, and collective responsibility over self-interest. He concluded with a prayer for the coming year—that it may be marked by wisdom, courage, and solidarity, with all Surinamers regardless of origin, color, or faith feeling at home. “May the light of Christmas continue to guide us,” he urged, “today and into the future.”

In a significant law enforcement operation on December 23rd, West Region Police successfully apprehended a 36-year-old entrepreneur suspected of large-scale smuggling activities. The coordinated operation, conducted in collaboration with a specialized tactical unit, culminated in the suspect’s detention near his residence on Ramadhar Rajaramweg in the Corantijnpolder area of Nickerie district.

Authorities executed a search operation that yielded substantial evidence of illicit trade. The seized contraband included a considerable quantity of illegal cigarettes, various alcoholic beverages, and multiple containers of rat poison in liquid form. Most notably, investigators discovered a significant cache of chemicals in both liquid and powder forms, raising concerns about the potential scope of the smuggling operation.

The suspect, identified as R.L., has been taken into custody as the investigation continues. The case has been formally transferred to the West Region Detective Unit, which will lead the ongoing investigative efforts. Law enforcement officials have not disclosed the intended destination or purpose of the confiscated chemicals, but the presence of multiple hazardous substances suggests sophisticated smuggling operations beyond typical contraband.

This operation highlights the continued efforts by Surinamese authorities to combat illegal trade networks that circumvent national regulations and potentially endanger public safety through unregulated distribution of hazardous materials.