Rossellie Cotino, Caroline Heilbron, and Amzad Abdoel, three NDP members of the State Council, are dissatisfied that the president did not get their minority opinion along with the recommendation to reduce electricity costs. The three are so furious that they have made the decision to write the president of the constitutional body a letter.
The members of the State Council contend that the draft State Decree on the modification of the Energy Tariffs and the Electricity Subject Subsidy Decree was on the agenda on May 11. The meeting didn’t have a unanimous decision. The vote should be tabled until the next meeting in accordance with the Rules of Procedure. Cotino had till May 15 to file the dissenting opinion after Chairman Urmila Ramlagansing reached a decision. The minority recommendation was endorsed by Abdoel and Heilbron, who had opted out prior to May 11.
The State Council members believe it unacceptable that the president was delivered the final recommendations for both draft State Decrees without the considerations, conclusions, and divergent counsel that had been provided. The president has been informed of the erroneous advice in the interim. The three State Council members disagree with the working manner because they feel it implies that the State Council’s work is being disavowed. They dissociate themselves from choices made that do not adhere to legal requirements.
The three members of the State Council urge the government to renegotiate the price adjustment with Staatsolie Power Company Suriname in order to determine a fair, reasonable, and appropriate tariff for the production and supply of power to the EBS. This is based on Ernst & Young’s findings that there is no opportunity for a tariff increase because the electricity prices are greater than the actual cost price.
The members of the State Council feel that the subsidy should continue uninterrupted for vulnerable populations despite the subsidy’s gradual elimination. It is stressed that the current subsidy program should remain in place until the new one takes effect.
