Text and image Jason Pinas
PARAMARIBO – Representatives of the Federation of Surinamese Farmers (FSA), the Vissers Collective and the Suriname Seafood Association have expressed no confidence in the supervisory board of the Fish Inspection Institute (VKI). Udo Karg, chairman of the SSA, and Tania Lieuw A Soe of the FSA emphasized this during a press conference today.
The organizations ask President Jennifer Simons to immediately dismiss the council and appoint new people. “The entire council must be replaced by independent experts based on the profile,” said Lieuw A Soe.
In addition, the sector wants a new director to be appointed only after their approval. “We also demand that fish exports are secured and guaranteed and that the VKI’s resources are monitored transparently,” Lieuw A Soe continued. She further noted that the company has over six hundred thousand USD in cash.
The sector’s protest follows after Juliette Colli-Wongsoredjo submitted her resignation on Friday out of dissatisfaction with statements previously made by Rashley Resida, secretary of the council. According to Resida, abuses and financial shortcomings were discovered after an investigation. Opposite the True Time he spoke about possible conflicts of interest.
Resida referred, among other things, to the fact that Colli-Wongsoredjo has deposited payments intended for the Fish Inspection Institute into her private account in the recent period. These amounts were subsequently transferred back to the company’s account. “We therefore want an independent investigation, but we get the feeling that Mrs. Colli-Wongsoredjo does not want to cooperate,” said Resida.
However, the sector is concerned about the attitude of some members of the council and asks that President Geerlings-Simons intervene immediately. “The independence of VKI is important. We are seriously concerned about what will happen to this company if the president does not intervene,” Karg told the newspaper.
According to him, the various organizations will further discuss how to proceed in the coming days.
