According to DNA member Ivanildo Plein (NPS/Paramaribo), further consideration should be given to parliamentarians who would no longer be part of the National Assembly (DNA) after 5 years. “We need to look at options for these MPs about what they should do after their term as MPs. It is important to look at the budget cuts, but at the same time one has to understand that being a DNA member is not a full time job, it is only for 5 years. I think the discussion should come about what happens after those 5 years with such a person,” the NPS parliamentarian told media.
Plein indicates that he has his own reservations about the double salaries. “It should be possible to make cutbacks, but you have to arrange that properly and I am glad that people have now come to the point of talking about non-activities of a parliamentarian. It is about Suriname having to make cutbacks, but not only in parliament cutbacks have to be made. The government has been mandated by the people since 2020 and has had the opportunity to communicate sufficiently, but that has not happened enough, and certainly with a number of laws,” says Plein.
With regard to the Electoral Act, it must also be promulgated when the electoral regulation is adopted. It is an interplay of different segments. “The Electoral Act should have been adopted before May 25 of this year, because the Constitutional Court has given us enough room. It’s been a while since the verdict was handed down. Those involved should do their homework from then on. Both parliament and government must now work hard to ensure that democracy, and that every vote has the same weight, comes forward as indicated, the NPS member said.