Opposition adopts populist rhetoric but it will take more than
this to reduce Bouterse's current popularity.
An example of the opposition's MPs populist criticism was the
letter they wrote to President Bouterse about the issue of crime. They
want Desi Bouterse to outline his crime prevention programme to
parliament. They asked whether - besides more investments in
the police and their equipment, infrastructure and training -
their policies for sustainable unemployment and poverty should be
included. They cite the president's previous promises but the
latest crime statistics indicate a downward trend, with Suriname's
record significantly better than many other countries in the region.
Also, in response to a dramatic accident in which two
school-children drowned during a school trip at a resort near the
Suriname River, the opposition's Shaleindra Girjasing MP attacked the
government by posing questions like: "Why was it only closed
down after the accident and not beforehand? Therefore: who should be held responsible? What measures have been taken to prevent this in
the future in view of the holiday that is coming up?"
It was not, however, mentioned by Girjasing that it is this
government which is currently in the process of introducing life-guard
requirements and nets in the water to avoid drowning. The previous
administration, of which Girjasing's VHP party was a member, had no
significant contribution to the safety of dozens of Suriname's resorts.
It will require sturdier weapons for the opposition to
overthrow Desi's popularity and win the hearts of a changing electorate
in two years' time.
For more news and expert analysis about Cameroon, please see Cameroon Politics & Security.
© 2013 Menas Associates
No comments:
Post a Comment