From Caribbean360

PARAMARIBO, Suriname, Thursday October 10, 2013, CMC – President Desi Bouterse Wednesday fired his Finance Minister, Adelien Wijnerman, according to an official statement issued here.

“This is part of the Reconstruction of Financial Management … and the seriousness with which Government intends to bring improvement to this matter,” the President’s Cabinet said in the statement.

Wijnerman, an economist and career civil servant, was appointed in June 2011.

The statement said Wijnerman’s dismissal was “necessary” because of the slow progress achieved in clearing government’s payment arrears.

It said her dismissal was also due “administrative and financial vagueness and because there is no effective communication with service providers and other stakeholders”.

The statement said the government intends to undertake a complete overview of the country’s financial state of affairs as soon as possible.

“The improvement of the Government’s discipline with making payments is an important priority to this Government. To look into this, the ‘Committee to Determine the State of Affairs of the Nation’s Finances’ will be installed soon,” the release said.

There had been rumours regarding the dismissal of the minister ever since President Bouterse’s September 29th annual address to Parliament, in which he promised improvements in several matters including the country’s financial affairs.

Wijnerman had become unpopular within the government for her strict hold on the country’s revenues with many ministers complaining of cuts and service providers saying they were not being paid on time.

Her actions are said to have put her at odds with her colleagues and Central Bank Governor, Gilmore Hoefdraad, but up to last week the President’s spokesperson, Cliff Limburg, denied she would be dismissed, saying President Bouterse wanted her to address several “burning issues”.

Since coming to office in 2010, Bouterse has replaced 10 ministers including Ramon Abrahams (Public Works), Ginmardo Kromosoeto (Zoning) and Shirley Sitaldien (Education). Abrahams has since sued a publication that claimed he got the boot because he had been corrupt

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