(De Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO – ‘IAMGOLD is expanding. That is good news, but I won’t sign a deal for a 5 percent cut. Whatever objections IAMGOLD may have on this view, I don’t care. That’s 100 percent my view. Better yet: we’ll take the shares from the big companies and give them to the people’, said President Desi Bouterse on his return from Venezuela early Sunday morning. ‘Some people will shed tears if IAMGOLD decides to leave, but we will applaud that. Believe me, we have people from all over the world who could take their place and very fast too,’ said Bouterse. The president replied to questions from the press about a possible negative effect the formation of the community of Latin American and Caribbean nations (CELAC) could have on large investments by North-American multinationals in Suriname. The CELAC conference harshly criticized the ‘imperialistic north’ which has looted the CELAC countries in return for crumbs. When asked if his present stance does not contradict his gesture towards the north when he entered office, President Bouterse said that matters should not be considered in such extremes. CELAC should not have adverse consequences. It only means that countries will join forces to support each other to get the most out of their wealth for themselves. CELAC and the rest of the world are tired of the present world order, with only a few rich countries that seem to boss everybody around. These rich countries have gained billions from the developing countries’ wealth in return for almost nothing. The CELAC’s prevailing opinion is ‘Why would we keep sharing our wealth with rich countries that become richer, while we can help the south-south partners.’
