The government must provide the National Assembly with full details regarding the phase-out of subsidies. The Assembly members desire the strategy, supporting materials, and implementation schedule. Ronny Asabina, the leader of the BEP party, emphasized the need for more clarity on the Recovery Plan 2020-2022. What level of the abandoned Recovery Plan has been realized? Rabin Parmessar, the head of the NDP party, requested that a special meeting be called by Assembly President Marinus Bee to debate Minister Stanley Raghoebarsing’s comments regarding the lowering of subsidies. The meeting would be convened on Thursday, it was revealed after the meeting had ended. Yesterday’s meeting came to an end.
Raghoebarsing made statements regarding the gradual elimination of gasoline subsidies. Unleaded gasoline’s pricing is currently in line with the market as of yesterday, however the price of diesel has increased by SRD 4 to SRD 6 per litre. The following month’s rise will be the same dollar amount. Owners of buses and boats receive subsidies. Additionally, the subsidy for cooking gas and electricity will gradually disappear.
Asis Gajadien, the leader of the VHP faction, highlighted that there is significant financial pressure. Staatsolie, which produces 34 million liters of diesel, is under a lot of virtual currency pressure. Diesel from Staatsolie that is priced in US dollars is also available from Sol on the currency exchange market. Gajadien brought this to light. Additionally, he requests paperwork from the government and information on the social policies.
The measures, according to Melvin Bouva (NDP), are especially difficult on the populace. The population has outgrown the available space. The price of a pack of potatoes is already SRD 70, and an egg will soon cost SRD 15. In one go, the price of fuel increased by more than SRD 3. The Assembly member claims that the social measures are wholly insufficient.
People are experiencing awful circumstances, according to Patricia Etnel (NPS). Many households are no longer able to feed their families. They fail to deliver. Asabina proposed that the global corporations should provide the funding. An significant aspect that has not yet been controlled is the exchange rate. The group leader of ABOP/PL, Obed Kanape, stressed that decisions must be made and that the measures’ scope must be carefully studied. Three to five times have increased in domestic prices. The social program and the phasing out of subsidies will be covered in more detail on Thursday.
