VZCZCXRO4271
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHPO #0222 1481950
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271950Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0194
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHAO/AMCONSUL CURACAO 1265
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 1644

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000222 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR - JROSHOLT, WHA/PDA - CWEST 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV NS
 
SUBJECT: BAD MINISTER: PRESIDENT PUBLICLY SCOLDS COALITION PARTNER 
 
¶1.  (U)  SUMMARY.  Over the weekend of May 17, President Ronald 
Venetiaan publicly scolded Minister of Physical Planning, Land, and 
Forest Management Michael Jong Tjien Fa for mixing party politics 
with government business when he attempted to give out land deeds at 
a party function.  Venetiaan and Jong Tjien Fa come from different 
parties within the governing coalition, and tensions rose.  Although 
Venetiaan's action could be interpreted as a step to fight 
corruption, most likely the President's move is political, with an 
eye toward achieving distance between coalition parties before the 
2010 elections.  SUMMARY 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
Land Deeds as Political Capital... but Whose? 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U)  Minister of Planning, Land, and Forest Management Michael 
Jong Tjien Fa and Speaker of the National Assembly Paul Somohardjo 
planned to give out land titles to poor farmers in Suriname's 
Nickerie district during a May 18 event sponsored by their political 
party, Pertjaja Luhur.  President Venetiaan had previously warned 
Jong Tjien Fa not to mix party politics with government business. 
Moreover, the ruling coalition had already agreed that these 
documents, which effectively gave title to land free-of-charge, 
would be handed to the farmers at a meeting hosted jointly by 
several government ministers that same day in Nickerie.  In the end 
Jong Tjien Fa, chastened, told the farmers that he did not have the 
official documents with him.  The handing-over ceremony at the party 
event was called off and the farmers were told that they had to go 
to Paramaribo to receive their land titles. 
 
------------------------------- ------------------------- 
Another Kind of Political Capital: Bashing Pertjaja Luhur 
---------- --------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶3.  (U)  On May 19, President Venetiaan, with Minister Jong Tjien Fa 
standing next to him, publicly scolded the Minister for plans to 
combine government and party business, told the press "this is the 
last straw" and that Jong Tjien Fa "has to make sure that nothing 
else happens, otherwise he will be fired."  Carmelita Ferreira, a 
party colleague of Venetiaan, said publicly the President should 
have fired Jong Tjien Fa immediately for his disrespectful behavior. 
 Guno Castelen, coalition member from a third party, relayed to 
Embassy staff that "this is undoubtedly one of the tricks of 
Pertjaja Luhur."  Castelen noted that the election campaign has 
already started for Pertjaja Luhur, and they will do anything to get 
seats in districts where they do not yet have a foothold (including 
Nickerie). 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
Not Sorry: Somohardjo explains, Hering complains 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶4.  (U)  While Somohardjo initially said the incident "was all a big 
misunderstanding," and Jong Tjien Fa did "not intend to disrespect 
the President," his spokesman, Geor Hering, released an angry 
statement to the press on May 23.  The statement read, he "does not 
understand why the Pertjaja Luhur is always accused of corrupt 
practices by its coalition partners and the opposition" and that the 
party will "no longer accept all these accusations."  Hering said 
the party will convene a high-level meeting within two weeks to 
discuss the issue. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  COMMENT.  A patronage spoils system is the hallmark of 
Surinamese politics and, at best, Pertjaja Luhur's well-known 
land-title shenanigans are a particularly blatant example of their 
use.  At worst, Pertjaja Luhur is, as most Surinamers assert and 
anecdotal evidence suggests, actively corrupt.  While it is tempting 
to see Venetiaan's actions as a step to fight corruption, the timing 
of his action indicates he is also playing party politics.  The 
National Party of Suriname, Venetiaan's party, needs to distance 
itself from Pertjaja Luhur before the 2010 election cycle in order 
to fend off voter claims that it is powerless to control renegade 
coalition partners.  Regardless of the President's comments, the 
coalition will go on.  An outright coalition break would put an end 
to all of President Venetiaan's power - and all of Pertjaja Luhur's 
patronage opportunities.  They continue to need each other.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
SCHREIBER HUGHES