(de Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO – Good Friday, Divali and Id-Ul-Adha have to be removed from the list of national holidays, is the advice by the Commission National Holidays to President Desi Bouterse.
The commission made a clear distinction between memorial and commemorative days. Memorial days are mostly national, while commemorative days are celebrated by part of the population. In future Good Friday, Divali and Id-Ul-Adha must cease to be national holidays. However, people will still be able to celebrate these days selectively. ‘People have to tell their employer what religion they have and then apply for leave,’ commission chairman Marlon Powell explains. The commission also submitted a request to add Sasi Suro to the commemorative days. The Federation for Javanisme Suriname had submitted a request since 2000. Chinese New Year should be a national holiday. With all the changes the commission advises 13 national memorial days and four national commemorative days. Some national memorial days should be revised. The arrangement to declare the Monday following 1 July (if it falls on a Sunday) a holiday should be taken into consideration. This rule should apply more to Independence Day.
The commission advises to change the name of Independence Day into National Day of Independence and Cultural Diversity. The commission advises the government to have a permanent advisory body on national holidays to study all proposals for national holidays. Every five years national holidays should be thoroughly assessed to determine whether they are still valid.