VZCZCXRO0161
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHPO #0296/01 2751253
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021253Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0877
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 1690
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 1576
RHMFITT/COMSOCSOUTH MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARAMARIBO 000296 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR SWHALEN 
SOCSOUTH FOR J2 
BRASILIA FOR DATT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL NS
 
SUBJECT:  SURINAME:  NPS TRIES TO SHOW ITS RELEVANCE TO YOUTH VOTERS 
AT KICK-OFF ELECTION CAMPAIGN EVENT 
 
Ref:  Paramaribo 275 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  The National Party of Suriname (NPS), chaired by 
Ronald Venetiaan, celebrated a combined 63rd anniversary/kick-off 
election campaign event on September 29, 2009.  The large number of 
youth speakers and youth supporters among the approximately 3,000 
people attending the event drew media attention.  With 45,790 
first-time, youth voters projected for 2010, the NPS is actively 
showing that despite being considered Suriname's "old" political 
party, it promotes youth participation in the political field.  End 
Summary. 
 
THE EVENT 
----------------- 
¶2. (U) The National Party of Suriname (NPS), chaired by sitting 
Surinamese President Ronald Venetiaan, held a combined 63rd 
anniversary/election kick-off event on September 29 at its Grun 
Djari headquarters.  More than 3000 people attended this event 
despite the bad weather, and many more listened to the speeches on 
the radio.  What made this event remarkable, and drew media 
attention, was the large youth contingent present at the meeting 
both as speakers and in the audience.  One highlighted youth 
speaker, Milton Welzijn, chairman of the NPS youth council, made the 
case that an NPS government would guarantee peace in Suriname -- a 
major precondition for the stimulation of economic development. 
 
 
¶3. (U) Another speaker was Minister of Finance, Humphrey Hildenberg, 
who presented a picture of Suriname with an economy and standard of 
living on the rise, citing examples such as Suriname's paying off 
its international debt (however, U.S. debt repayment remains in 
arrears), paving the Afobakka road (projected to be finished before 
the November 25 Independence Day celebrations), and programs for 
private housing construction. 
 
¶4. (U) Finally, President Venetiaan stated that the NPS fully 
intended to remain in the ruling coalition government.  (He did not 
specifically state that he wanted to remain the New Front 
coalition's candidate for president, however.)  He called upon NPS 
supporters to put effort into getting enough seats in the 2010 
elections for the NPS to form the new government with reliable 
partners. 
 
¶5. (U) In contrast with NPS anniversary events, none of the 
chairpersons of the United Reformed Party (VHP), A-Combination (AC), 
Pertjaja Luhur (PL), Surinamese Labor Party (SPA) or Democratic 
Alternative (DA'91) delivered congratulatory messages even though 
they were in attendance. 
 
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE YOUTH VOTE 
---------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Robert Ameerali, one of the founding members of the "25 May 
Committee" (a group of key business and academic leaders that have 
collaborated since 2005 to analyze Suriname's political landscape 
and to educate the public on the elections) told Poloff that in 
2005, 15 percent (27,635) more people cast votes in the National 
Assembly elections than had in 2000.  Because Suriname's electoral 
system for the National Assembly is based on 10 Districts and a 
proportional election system, the impact of the increased voter 
base, and who voters were supporting, caused significant changes in 
the balance of power in the country.  (Note:  While it cannot be 
identified that it was the new voters that changed the balance of 
power, it can be determined that there was an influx of new voters 
and the balance of power between parties was affected.) 
 
¶7. (U) The 2005 election results showed that certain parties 
increased their voter base significantly.  Each party should have 
grown by 115% in order to maintain the status quo from the 2000 
elections.  In 2005, opposition parties National Democratic Party 
(NDP), PALU, and A-Combination coalition (which ran in 2005 as 
opposition but later joined the New Front ruling coalition in 
forming a government) increased their voter bases by 204% (24,953 
voters), 149%, and 253%, respectively.  On the other hand, the New 
Front coalition received only 99% of the votes it had in 2000 and 
lost three National Assembly seats as a result.  Based on the 2004 
census, there will be 45,790 first-time, youth voters in 2010. 
 
PARAMARIBO 00000296  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶8. (SBU) Comment.  The NPS focus on youth during its election 
kick-off event shows that the NPS learned its lesson in 2005 about 
the impact of the new voters on the voter base.  The NPS is actively 
showing that despite being considered Suriname's "old" political 
party, it welcomes new blood and youth participation in politics. 
It is also a clear statement to the opposition, especially after the 
Bouterse's speech on his plans to turn the National Democratic Party 
(NDP) over to the youth (Reftel), that the NPS also will be prepared 
to field younger political candidates in future elections. 
 
Nay