The selection of Roché Hopkinson, a former NDP assembly member, as the new chairman of the supervisory board at the state-owned Canawaima Management Company, better known as Canawaima, drew furious protests from VHP ministers last week and today.
The appointment of Hopkinson was on the agenda for the Council of Ministers meeting last Wednesday, but the RvM has not authorized it since a large number of VHP ministers have expressed their opposition to the alleged nomination made by their party.
The VHP ministers disagree with Hopkinson’s nomination, and they claim they weren’t notified of it beforehand. According to the media, President Chan Santokhi, who is also the VHP chairman, would have made this decision sooner.
The media hears that the VHP ministers continued to refuse to back Hopkinson’s appointment. Vinay Moerahoe was replaced in this position by Hopkinson, who was proposed by the VHP. The former legislator’s appointment has been delayed.
Hopkinson has been a first-class policy advisor in the President’s Office since 2020. He was listed on the National Democratic Party’s ballot for the Paramaribo constituency in the 2015 elections in thirteenth position. (NDP). He did not, however, garner enough support during those elections to be given a direct seat in parliament. Hopkinson was sworn in and admitted to the highest body of state when Rabin Parmessar left the house in 2016 to become a director of NV Energiebedrijven Suriname (EBS).
