PARAMARIBO — Initiator Harold Souvenir and some residents of Witagron are asking the National Assembly (DNA) through a petition for support for Braganza Marketing Group NV’s plans for large-scale agriculture in their area. The petition was presented to the Deputy Registrar of DNA, Agatha Ramdass, on Monday, who received it. DNA members Rabindre Parmessar, Jennifer Vreedzaam and Genevièvre Jordan were also present at the presentation. Ramdass says the issue will be brought to the attention of parliament.
According to Souvenir Finely, who read the petition, the community has had a cooperation agreement with Braganza and, by extension, with Mennonites for more than a year. According to her, there are concrete plans for large-scale agriculture along the road to West Suriname, on predominantly secondary forest land. According to the community, formal agreements have also been made with the government about this.
“According to the applicants, the collaboration offers opportunities for young people to return to their villages and work or do business there, as an alternative to gold mining.”
Furthermore, Souvenir indicated that the experiences regarding the collaboration have been very positive according to the community. The Mennonites are described as social and helpful. “On the contrary, we have experienced Mennonites as social and as people who are always willing to help with anything,” says a passage from the petition.
According to the applicants, the collaboration offers opportunities for young people to return to their villages and work or do business there, as an alternative to gold mining. Agreements have also been made about co-responsibility for the maintenance of infrastructure and the financing of community projects with the help of Braganza.
The community asks the government to support the agricultural plans and provide scope for continued cooperation. It is emphasized that Braganza only works with people who are or will be in Suriname legally. According to the petitioners, their communities have not had sufficient opportunities to develop for decades.
The petition calls on the government to provide scope for the continuation of cooperation for large-scale agriculture along the road to West Suriname, in Tibiti and Kabalebo. Space must be provided for the use of legal Mennonites and all legal regulations must be complied with, including the environmental impact assessment.
Furthermore, the petitioners ask the government to support the investments of Braganza and the Mennonites in the Surinamese economy and the development of the interior. They also ask for support for education in modern agricultural techniques, with Braganza and the Mennonites providing concrete support. The applicants propose to jointly make plans for the maintenance of infrastructure and to support community projects, for example in the field of energy.
