Text Ivan Cairo
Paramaribo – According to the provisional list of candidates that was submitted to the VHP election committee on Saturday, nine of the current twenty assembly members of this party are in an eligible place, the party was allowed to get at least 15 DNA seats and pass on some directly chosen candidates to government or other government posts. A striking absentee on the list is Riad Nurmohamed, former assembly member, now Minister of Public Works.
As expected, the list of candidates will be supplied by chairman Chandrikapersad Santokhi. Surprisingly, there is not Krishnakoemarie Mathoera, who had won the most votes from all candidates in 2020, but Marciano Dasai, the current Minister of Spatial Planning and the Environment. If the VHP comes back to the government, he is expected to become a minister again.
The nine current assembly members in eligible places are Asiskumar Gajadien, Cheryl Dijksteel, Dew Sharman, Chanrui Wang, Cedric van Samson, Mahinder Jogi, Harriet Ramdien, Kishan Ramsukul and Roy Mohan. Eleven of the current VHP parliamentarians are not on the provisional list of candidates.
At the number 18, Alven Roosvelt, former director at the Suriname communication service, and 50th place Jason Saiman, current spokesperson for the president. In the 51st, also last place, the musician Arnold Boekoeroe, is better known under the artist name Kadensi. During a party congress on March 16, the VHP approves the final list. According to insiders, changes can take place on the list until that time.
All parties must submit their list of candidates to the Central Main Stamenbureau (CHS) on 25 March. The CHS registered 14 of the 15 political parties that had registered for the polls on 25 May. The registration of PVP has been rejected because the signature of one of the board members on the letter of authorization is missing. The party can appeal to the president against the decision of the CHS.
