YouSaid · the spoken record

Winston Lackin

lines on the record: 44
first: 2012-09-24
most recent: 2014-09-24
sittings or episodes: 3
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“In conclusion, Suriname is ready and willing to play its humble part in helping to find workable solutions to the global issues at hand. We reiterate our commitment to all human rights and to a policy of interacting responsibly with the natural environment in our quest for sustained economic growth, as well as our commitment to peace through dialogue.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We would like once again to point to the experience of Latin America and the Caribbean as a shining example of how durable peace can be achieved. In that context, the economic blockade of the Cuban people should be considered to be a regional anomaly that must end now. The role of women in achieving sustainable development, at the level of both civil society and political leadership, has proved an important factor in creating an atmosphere of tolerance in which we choose to use dialogue rather than resort to violence. We must continue to encourage our women — who make up more than half of the world’s population — to persist in their struggle for participation and inclusion and to share the burden of responsibility for peace and sustainable development.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“The serious absence of international commitment to supporting us so that we can take the proper measures to avoid the impending disasters is disturbing, and we have therefore been obliged to join with similar, vulnerable countries with strong environmentally active frameworks and a history of respect for ecosystems. We call on the rest of the world both to become more proactive in support of the measures that we are compelled to take, and to ensure that the relevant issues have a place on the international agenda. Suriname would like to emphasize the need for a fundamental restructuring of the United Nations, with the aim of making our Organization better equipped to deal effectively with the international issues at hand.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“At the recently held 2014 Climate Summit, Suriname indicated that sea-level rise will, inter alia, severely damage or destroy our coastal ecosystems, including most of our arable land; damage or destroy over 40 per cent of our GDP; damage or destroy the homes of over 80 per cent of our population; damage or destroy our world heritage-designated capital; and endanger the way of life of most of the people, who represent our cultural heritage and live along the coastal and river shores. Changes in rainfall patterns and rising temperatures are already leading to increased health risks and associated costs, decreased hydropower production and reduced access to river pathways.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“There is another area of prime interest to which we want to draw attention. Suriname’s territory is more than 90 per cent covered with forest, which annually absorbs 8.8 million tons of carbon, while our annual emissions are 7 million tons of carbon. Suriname thus absorbs 1.8 million tons of carbon more than it emits on a yearly basis. While many countries work towards becoming carbon-neutral, Suriname already qualifies as a carbon-negative country. With an annual deforestation rate of 0.02 per cent and having dedicated 13 per cent of the national territory to preserving and protecting vulnerable ecosystems, we are generating a national and global asset. In stark contrast to those positive realities, Suriname has, paradoxically, become one of the most vulnerable countries in the world as a result of climate change.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We are forced to strike the right balance between economic growth, socioeconomic concerns and respect for our natural environment. In doing so, Suriname has been classified as an upper-middle-income country with an improved ranking in the 2013 United Nations Development Programme Human Development Report. However, that classification limits our access to concessional financing, which hampers our aspirations and endeavours to sustain the achievements I have mentioned. Honestly speaking, we are experiencing that decision as a punishment for doing well. A classification solely based on statistics, and not on our socioeconomic reality, will never serve the objective of sustainable development based on human development. We call upon the multilateral and bilateral funding institutions to adapt their policies to that approach.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Furthermore, legal instruments are being prepared as part of a full safety net to prevent dropouts. In the same vein, various programmes have been developed in close cooperation with other CARICOM States to combat the incidence of non-communicable diseases. Our ultimate goal is for those initiatives to become part and parcel of future programmes of the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization. With regard to the imminent threat of the spread of the Ebola virus, the Government has entered into close consultations with neighbouring countries, the subregion and the global community to design and implement programmes to coordinate and cooperate effectively so as to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. As a matter of course, we can sustain those initiatives only within appropriate fiscal discipline.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“In order to ensure the sustainability of the economy, the Government has developed a policy to ensure that the revenue from the non-renewable sectors is invested in developing human capital to ensure the full fruition of the capacities of the Surinamese people in their own interest and the interest of the entire nation. To ensure that that policy will materialize, President Bouterse announced, at the outset of his term, a social contract that has been given substance in the following programme: a legal framework guaranteeing a minimum wage, health-care coverage for every citizen and pensions for the elderly. In the past four years, Suriname has implemented new programmes to promote advanced education at all levels, including after-school care programmes for primary and secondary students and scholarship programmes for higher education.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Suriname fully supports all initiatives deployed to face those challenges. Having said that, we must assess two areas of concern that our nation faces today. Economically speaking, the latest International Monetary Fund report indicates that Suriname has reached an average per capita income of approximately $10,000. Our gross domestic product (GDP) is primarily based on the mining sector, where gold mining and the production of crude oil and derivatives represent 33 per cent of our national output. That sector is responsible for 90 per cent of our total export revenue. We are aware of the fact that the nature of that sector is extractive and, as such, is subject to depletion.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“The third, and certainly the most important, factor that ensures durable peace in our region is the implementation of people-oriented socioeconomic policies. We have seen such programmes developed in Brazil, Bolivia, Chile and my own country, Suriname, to mention a few. The emphasis on policies and programmes related to health care, education, youth and sports is rapidly changing the image of Latin America and the Caribbean. We invite the world community to take note of those positive realities in our functioning democracies, as they translate into regional integration processes with nothing less than a bright future. Looking at the positive picture at the national level, we must also address the challenges of dealing with all forms of transnational organized crime in the Latin American and Caribbean region.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“It is important to answer the question: how is that region showing us the way forward? From a military point of view, it is an area of the world that is nuclear-free. The Treaty of Tlatelolco has proved to be an effective instrument to monitor and maintain Latin America and the Caribbean free from nuclear threat. Furthermore, it is important to note that, at the political level, interdependence has become the driving force of both multilateral and bilateral relations. Small and large States alike interact on the basis of established treaties and principles of mutual respect, mutual concern and mutual benefit. The Union of South American Nations, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in particular have played an important role so far in furthering that cause.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We express our sincere wish that the United Nations should develop the muscles needed to restructure and democratize itself and move away from restrictive veto powers towards inclusive legal institutions that can effectively apply and monitor adherence to the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations. We see that as the only way forward to achieve the ultimate goal of sustainable development, even for the smallest members of the international community. The real proof of civilization is total respect for the seemingly insignificant members of any social entity. Let us, then, become truly civilized. In sharp contradiction to the turbulence and challenges mentioned, we want to draw the attention of this body to the Latin America and Caribbean region, which is, relatively speaking, a unique area of peace and tranquillity.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Although interdependence, self-determination and non-interference should be the guiding principles of the international community, we are faced with an incredible desire for domination in the name of undefined, so-called national interests. We have examined some of the arguments used to invade Grenada and compared those to the arguments used to justify the military involvement in Ukraine. What striking similarity! We have tried hard to understand the value of a referendum in the case of the Malvinas and the value given to the referendum held in Crimea. States with media, military and economic vulnerabilities such as ours cannot but feel extremely uncomfortable with the custom-made slogans, devoid of any genuine moral value, that are imposed on our minds as precooked recipes.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“My statement today is made on behalf of the President of the Republic of Suriname, His Excellency Mr. Desiré Delano Bouterse. We want you, Mr. President, to be assured of our support in these turbulent times of international politics. Your task will not be easy. We pay tribute to your predecessor, Ambassador John Ashe, for his excellent leadership during the sixty-eighth session of the General Assembly. We also want to express our support to Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon in his endeavour to steer the United Nations vessel through the rough waters of shifting economic forces and rapidly changing political arenas, in an environment where violence and intolerance, whatever the root causes, seem to prevail.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We pledge that Suriname will, during its presidency, further the goals of UNASUR and contribute to international peace, security and sustainable development.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The Cuban people have the right to participate as full members in all regional organizations, and we strongly urge that all obstacles that have prevented their full participation so far be removed, including the outdated and inhuman unilateral economic, financial and commercial embargo. With regard to the Republic of Haiti, the international community tends to lose attention for the necessary follow-up activities to get Haiti back on its feet. Once again we call upon the international community to fulfil its commitments. In closing, I take advantage of this opportunity to inform the Assembly that, exactly 30 days ago, my country, Suriname, took over the pro tempore presidency of the Union of South American Nations, a young and vibrant regional body.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Their willingness and capacity for further dialogue and persuasion is a better way to achieve and maintain peace than the use of violence and military intervention. We are proud to belong to a region that has declared itself a nuclear-weapon-free zone. We express the hope that the two-State solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will gain more substance, allowing the peoples of both countries the prospect of peace and prosperity. Suriname maintains the position that the multilateral process within the United Nations should prevail in the search for a peaceful solution for the crisis in Syria.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“In setting the stage for development goals beyond 2015, we cannot ignore the various threats to international peace. International peace, security and human rights are indispensable in creating an enabling environment for sustainable development. Suriname is well aware of the fact that national sovereignty and national security are seriously affected by the indiscriminate use of violence in fighting terrorism and other forms of transnational organized crime. Challenges related to armed conflicts, poverty, food, the environment, education, public health, migration and energy require increased collaboration. In this respect, partnership among Governments, international and regional organizations and civil society is a must. We applaud the South American and Caribbean nations for their efforts towards regional peace and stability.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“That process should be directed towards: the continued eradication of poverty; a people-centred approach, combining economic activity with the social need for education and health care, thereby promoting the welfare and well-being of all; and the integration of economic and social action and strengthening of human capital. Global warming has a direct negative impact on the development of small island developing States and low-lying coastal States, including Suriname. Suriname shares its grave concern regarding the state of the global climate and the stalled United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change process. The Government of Suriname strongly recommends that the General Assembly face these challenges by making them part of the post-2015 development agenda.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“In this regard, a large-scale after-school programme with the aim of enhancing better learning for youth deserves mention. The successful experiences in regional cooperation mechanisms, such as the one in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), as well as the one that is being considered in the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), are clear examples of how youth can contribute to the connectivity between peoples and the enhancement of unity. Taking into account global processes and cognizant of the opportunities and challenges from CARICOM and UNASUR, the post-2015 development agenda should emanate from an inclusive, intergovernmental process.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“In so doing — and this we emphasize — we should strike the right balance between our positive macroeconomic situation and a micro situation that is in dire need of improvement. We are in the course of developing policies and programmes to fight non-communicable diseases that have led to decreased productivity. Non-communicable diseases have now become the leading cause of death in Suriname and in other countries in our region. There is special emphasis on improving education and bringing it closer to our socioeconomic reality. We intend to work more closely with relevant international organizations such as the Pan American Health Organization, the World Health Organization, UNESCO, UNICEF and others. The Government also attaches great importance to issues involving young people.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Within this interdependent world, we will continue to build on our own strength as the main driving force for the achievement of our development agenda. Furthermore, we believe that building upon national strengths, within the context of participation in subregional and regional cooperation frameworks, is the right way forward to finding proper solutions for development. On the basis of what has been achieved at the regional level, a global approach might become more feasible. Suriname shares the view that we should base the post-2015 development agenda on a people-centred approach, with a specific focus on the most vulnerable in society, in particular, women, youth, the elderly and people with disabilities.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“It is encouraging to note that a number of countries, including my own, Suriname, have been upgraded from low-income status to middle-income status by international financial institutions and United Nations agencies. Our efforts to develop prudent macroeconomic and appropriate fiscal policies, combined with our initiatives to diversify our economy, and the sacrifices borne by our people, have led to this improved status. Applying per capita income as the major indicator for determining our development status has, however, manoeuvred us into a position where we have lost access to the necessary concessional loans and grants. The conclusion can be drawn that our people are being punished for their ability to overcome some of the obstacles that have made them less fortunate in the past.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Their statistics, however, should not blind us to the fact that inequality is rampant and that almost 1.2 billion people are still living in extreme poverty and do not have access to affordable and adequate health services, while millions of children are still denied their right to primary education. We have learned the important lesson that developing countries are obliged to undertake adequate measures to strengthen economic interactions among themselves in addition to ties with their traditional trading partners in the North. We must give substance to South-South cooperation. That is an important consideration for setting a new stage for global sustainable development. In this context, foreign direct investment is considered to be a factor of vital importance.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Official development assistance is in constant decline, and the agreements concluded in 2001 within the context of the World Trade Organization to improve access to international markets have been stalled during the Doha Round. That stalling has proved to be so harmful that dealing with market access on behalf of the poorest nations has been left out of subsequent agendas. Furthermore, as we all know, the ongoing financial and economic crisis is having a detrimental impact on developing nations because official development assistance is drastically declining. Clearly, a number of large developing countries, mainly in Asia, as well as some countries endowed with natural resources in Africa and South America, have made substantial economic progress.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“In our view, the success of the Millennium Development Goals depends on two sets of simultaneous actions: first, a reorientation of national responsibilities; and, second, of equal importance, the reorientation of the international community. Such reorientation will enable us to chart a more meaningful path towards meeting the targets of the Millennium Development Goals and moving towards the post-2015 Development agenda. That is particularly relevant if we take heed of the 2013 report on the Millennium Development Goals, which reveals some rather interesting facts, such as: most developing countries are performing well in meeting the targets; and developed countries, which have committed themselves to Goal 8 by making their aid pledges viable and effective, are nevertheless well behind in their general performance in meeting the targets.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Furthermore, I commend Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon for his management of the United Nations with regard to peace and security in various parts of the globe. Setting a new stage urgently requires much effort at the national as well as the international level to achieve the ultimate goal of improving the standard of living of our peoples and bringing about the sustainable development of our countries. The Millennium Development Goals are an important first step towards addressing some of the worst socioeconomic conditions facing approximately 40 per cent of humankind, targeted as they are at reducing the worst manifestations of underdevelopment.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Allow me at the outset, on behalf of the President of the Republic of Suriname, His Excellency Mr. Desiré Delano Bouterse, and the people and the Government of Suriname, to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your well-deserved election. With your election you bring honour to your country, Antigua and Barbuda, and to the Caribbean. With your background in sustainable development, you are well prepared to lead us in our deliberations on this year’s theme, “The post-2015 development agenda: setting the stage”. I assure you of the support and cooperation of Suriname during your presidency. I should also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to your predecessor, Mr. Vuk Jeremi., for his leadership during the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“We continue to expect the United Nations to spearhead the efforts for technical assistance and to advance continued dialogue. Suriname is deeply concerned with regard to the basis on which countries in development are classified in the international financial institutional framework. Such classifications, without due consultations, negatively affect the type and level of assistance that a country can receive from international financial institutions. We can only characterize those decisions as undemocratic and as a virtual punishment of our achievements in improving our socioeconomic situation. In conclusion, I wish to solemnly declare that Suriname will always put its faith in multilateralism through its unwavering support for the principles and objectives enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Suriname has increased its efforts in the fight against those often overlooked silent killers. The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development concluded without an agreement on a clear commitment with regard to the financing of sustainable development. That is a very serious matter, considering the threat of climate change, among others, to a successful outcome of the efforts of small States like Suriname to achieve sustainable development. The international community cannot abandon its obligation to provide the necessary means to combat the serious consequences of overconsumption, pollution and carbon emissions, which threaten to undo our achievements aimed at protecting the environment and securing the well-being of our peoples.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“It is necessary to increase the ability of women all over the world to bring about change, to ensure that they can exist in an environment free from violence and conducive to their well-being, including access to decent employment, services and housing. We acknowledge the global burden and threat of non-communicable diseases. In moving towards the full implementation of the Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases (resolution 66/2, annex), as well as other commitments we have made, we stress the importance of multisectoral actions, strengthening health systems, ensuring the availability of adequate and sustained resources, as well as enhanced international cooperation through effective partnerships.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“That principled stand must be applied to all areas of conflict, whether the conflict is in the Middle East, Africa, the Americas or anywhere else in the world. The target date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals is fast approaching. The year 2015 will be a decisive year when world leaders will gather once again to assess the implementation of the commitments made. We underscore the importance of creating well-being for all and providing greater opportunities for the vulnerable in our society by giving full access to high-quality education at all levels and affordable and high-quality health care and services, as well as realizing the commitments to gender equality and the empowerment of women.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Desiré Delano Bouterse, President of the Republic of Suriname: “As regards the sovereignty of our beloved Suriname as an independent nation, our principal task is none other than to respect and to defend the sovereignty of our nation against all violations and attacks from outside. “Whenever and by whomever our sovereignty is being challenged, our legitimate Government has no other duty than to defend and safeguard the entrusted sovereignty of the country”. The United Nations was built on the ashes of the Second World War, and we pledged to save successive generations from the scourge of war. The peaceful settlement of disputes is the only avenue through which we can ensure that the planet will be saved from annihilation.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Both the United States of America and the Federative Republic of Brazil clearly endorsed the concept in their statements at the opening of our general debate. We urge all Member States in general and the former colonial Powers in particular to accept the new reality of our world by categorically refraining from applying their own standards in judging the outcome of other countries’ democratic structures and aspirations, disrespecting the internationally accepted principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of nations all over the world. It is within that framework that I quote the closing remarks at the presentation of the 2013 national budget by Mr.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We realize that a properly functioning United Nations, including a democratically based Security Council, has the potential to become the single most important stabilizing factor in a world that has moved from bipolarity to multipolarity. In the world of ever-shifting economic, political, diplomatic and military Powers, the themes of the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly were appropriately chosen. We specifically want to draw the Assembly’s attention to the need for dialogue in situations of conflict. In our understanding, it is not easy for Powers that have grown accustomed to controlling other nations to grasp fully what it means to move away from dominance and dependence to interdependence and the need for dialogue in solving real or alleged conflicts.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We call on the international community to honour its pledges to assist the Government and people of Haiti in their efforts to rebuild their beloved country. Furthermore, our quest for integration will never be complete if we continue to accept the isolation of our sister nation, Cuba, as a consequence of the unjustly imposed economic and trade embargo. Once again, we firmly call for an immediate end of those coercive measures, which cause so much suffering to the people of Cuba. When Suriname became a Member of the United Nations 36 years ago, we were little aware of the importance of a number of issues not specifically dealing with decolonization. Now we have grown in our understanding.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We are active members of the Union of South American Nations, the secretariat of which will be based in Suriname as from July 2013. We are committed to the creation of a Caribbean Community multinational corporation, giving a more meaningful basis to the single market and economic goals put in place since 2006. As one of the founding members of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, we continue to be dedicated to the integration mechanism of the Americas, remaining committed to the principles and objectives of the Organization of American States. Although our region is making enormous strides in furthering democracy and development, we must draw the attention of the international community to the lack of progress in assisting one of the most disadvantaged countries in the Western Hemisphere, namely Haiti.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Having been blessed with oil reserves, trillions of cubic metres of fossil water reserves, along with hundreds of rivers, swamps, creeks, arable land and minerals, including gold, copper, granite, rare earth and more, Suriname has become a focal point in view of the ever-growing scarcity of those commodities. In order to maintain and enhance our political stability, we must deepen and widen our eco-commercial position and be able to keep our country and people safe from any outside intervention and interference. Suriname has engaged in a serious quest for integration with its immediate neighbours — Guyana, France and Brazil — at a bilateral and, wherever possible, tripartite level. Suriname is also a devoted participant in the historic movement of regional integration that is growing in form and substance.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“My country has committed itself to that cause by, among other actions, creating a nature reserve of 1.8 million hectares. We have accepted the obligation to educate our small gold miners in the use of modern technology that will not only prove more lucrative and safe but also respect the need for a clean environment, allowing for potable water and profitable agriculture. Suriname must remain green and smart. Suriname is very much aware of the fact that while we have solid advantages as a nation, we can only survive and prosper by adapting to a world that is becoming more and more interdependent.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We are proud to state that we have been able to convert that challenge into a unique and exemplary benefit and that the divide-and-rule policy of colonial days is gradually disappearing, making way for mutual respect, tolerance and peaceful coexistence, which redound to the advantage of all our citizens. Suriname is a country blessed with an exuberant array of biodiversity. That splendid gift of the Almighty must be cherished and protected to the fullest extent. It needs to be mapped out in a way that allows for responsible use. The challenge we face is responding to the genuine developmental needs of our people, while at the same time respecting and preserving biodiversity for future generations, and indeed for humankind.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The challenge of financing such an improved social package makes it necessary to empower our production and service sectors by providing funds and know-how to our entrepreneurs. Suriname, as a young nation, is experiencing an ongoing decolonization process that involves both its structure and its mindset. Building a nation of half a million people constitutes an enormous challenge when at least seven different ethnic and cultural traditions originate from the Americas, Africa and Europe, while a considerable part of the population traces its roots to India, Indonesia, China and the Middle East. . Suriname is known for the presence of a synagogue located next to a mosque in the heart of the capital Paramaribo, while Christian churches coexist with Hindu temples and places of worship with a strong African affinity.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The design and construction of relevant infrastructure demonstrate Suriname’s potential to be a player on the supply side of strategic commodities. President Bouterse also presented a social package in which education and health care figure prominently. He made the point that strong international ratings are encouraging indicators for investors. However, the citizens of Suriname who lack the right opportunities will share in the achievements only if the Government is able to present them with a package comprising job- oriented education at an academic as well as a vocational level, adequate health services, sports facilities, access to potable water, information and communications technology facilities and proper waste disposal.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“In his annual statement last week, in which he introduced the 2013 national budget, the President of Suriname highlighted Suriname’s strengths and the opportunities and challenges we are facing as a young, vibrant member of the international community. As refiners and exporters of crude oil and its derivatives, as well as producers and exporters of gold, a combination of windfalls in earnings related to the trade of those commodities and the application of prudent fiscal policies, have resulted in a politically and economically stable environment. That stability in turn has become conducive to solid domestic and foreign investments in the more sustainable sectors, in which agriculture and tourism score high.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“On behalf of Mr. Desiré Delano Bouterse, President of the Republic of Suriname, I avail myself of this opportunity to extend to Mr. Vuk Jeremić my congratulations on his election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session. The wealth of experience that he brings to this body will certainly assist him in successfully discharging his duties. We pledge our full support and cooperation. Allow me to salute his predecessor for his skilful leadership at the sixty-sixth session. We wish him well in his future endeavours. To Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon we pledge our support for his valuable contribution in advancing the purposes and principles of the Organization.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)