VZCZCXRO2927
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHPO #0214 1032019
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 132019Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8229
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHAO/AMCONSUL CURACAO 1004

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000214 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR  LLUFTIG, WHA/PD  EDETTER, APRUITT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI ECON NS
SUBJECT: STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY: DVC SPARKS DISCUSSION ON 
IMPROVING ELECTION ADMINSTRATION IN SURINAME 
 
REFTEL: 05 PARAMARIBO 347 
 
¶1. (U) Embassy Paramaribo held a Digital Video Conference 
(DVC) titled "Preparing for Elections, It's Never too Early 
to Start" on April 7 to stimulate discussion between U.S. 
and Surinamese election experts on improving electoral 
systems in Suriname.  Over the last decade, democracy has 
taken hold in Suriname, overcoming the shadow of seven 
years of military dictatorship in the 1980's and a 1990 
military coup.  The DVC was aimed at strengthening 
democracy in Suriname in line with transformational 
diplomacy initiatives occurring worldwide. 
 
 
 
¶2. (U) Eighteen key Surinamese election officials and 
observers from inside and outside of government joined 
local media representatives in a substantive two hour 
discussion on electoral best practices with Minnesota's 
Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer and two regional experts 
 
SIPDIS 
from IFES, founded as the International Foundation for 
Election Systems. Surinamese participants included the 
Permanent Secretary of Home Affairs who oversees the 
administration of elections; the chairman of the Central 
Head Voting Bureau (CHS); members of the Independent 
Electoral Bureau (OKB); technical staff from the Civil 
Registry Bureau responsible for developing voters list; 
leaders of democracy building NGOs; university experts; and 
journalists. 
 
¶3. (U) Participants discussed best practices in developing 
accurate voters lists, expanding voter education, reducing 
election costs, and addressing the high number of invalid 
ballots.  Secretary Kiffmeyer encouraged Surinamers to make 
elections preparations a continual task as better 
preparation translates into fewer mistakes on election day, 
thereby diminishing the possibility of disputed results. 
Guests took particular note of her suggestions regarding 
voter education, especially her focus on school-age 
children.  By revealing that the number of invalid ballots 
in Suriname (four percent) is double the regional average, 
IFES experts jolted Surinamese officials into recognizing 
the need to expand voter education.  Surinamese 
participants also concurred with the discussion on the need 
to reduce high election costs. The head of the CHS proposed 
reducing the number of election administration personnel, 
especially those who distribute polling cards, as a 
possible solution. 
 
¶4. (U) Two newspapers, De Ware Tijd and the Times of 
Suriname, ran front page stories on the DVC focusing on the 
need to reduce election costs and the high percentage of 
invalid votes. All eighteen participants volunteered their 
e-mail addresses to receive follow-up information and be 
included on an email network to allow the Embassy to reach 
out to them for additional discussion.  IFES experts 
directed participants to specific areas of their 
comprehensive website and are sending at least eight 
reports on various elements of election administration for 
distribution.  The Permanent Secretary of Home Affairs, who 
actively participated in the DVC, pulled POLOFF aside 
following the DVC to ensure that he received IFES documents 
on developing accurate voters lists, a source of great 
controversy in the last election. (See reftel). He cited 
his desire to clean up the voters list now as opposed to 
just before the next election. 
 
BARNES