A museum will be housed in the former district commissioner’s (DC) official residence in Saramacca. The media portrays Rabin Buddha, the director of tourism, in this way. The structure will be outfitted as a museum with an exhibition room after renovation work, which will soon begin.
The Foundation for Built Heritage Suriname (SGES) and the Tourism Directorate still need to discuss this. The directorate works to make use of historic structures that are no longer in use for tourism-related purposes.
The Tourism Directorate’s funding is being used to pay for the refurbishment of the official home. Wakapasi-inspired cabanas will be constructed all around the house. The location will have to serve as a center for tourism-related information. Tourism hasn’t received much investment in a long time, but according to Director Buddha, this is set to change.
According to the official, residents in Saramacca are also eager to contribute to the museum’s furnishings. At first, the group of laborers and farmers who were descended from the Dutch planned to do the renovation themselves. However, because the official residence is a government facility, this is not possible.
The Ministry of Public Works, which is also in charge of public procurement, received the request for this. Director Buddha is now unable to comment on the cost of the renovations because the public tender is still ongoing.
The amounts differ and, according to him, are in the millions, but the award has yet to take place. The official also stated that a preliminary advice had been forwarded to the Council of Ministers (RvM).
