(de Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO – The political party VHP (Vooruitstrevende Hervormings Partij) wants to help develop a national diaspora policy, which could be beneficial to people in Suriname as well as Surinamese in the Netherlands, for example. The government should create the facilities for this, allowing businesses, social organizations, charities and sports organizations to use it. “The government, Surinamese community, Dutch politicians and community talk about the diaspora, but it is still not clear what is meant by that”, VHP chairman Chandrikapersad Santokhi said during a press conference in De Olifant yesterday. That is why the VHP is organizing a diaspora conference on January 14, 2012 in the IGSR building on the Anton de Kom University’s campus to mark its 63rd anniversary. In this way, the party hopes to support the development of a policy vision about the diaspora and to increase awareness of the diaspora’s importance. Furthermore, it also wants to identify persons and organizations that can be involved in working out the conference’s recommendations and in their implementation. Santhoki explained that a diaspora is a community that has its origins in a certain country, but has spread to other countries from there. However, these communities remain involved with the country of origin, as is shown in Suriname by many projects started in this country by people of Surinamese origin in sectors such as health care, tourism, and sports. Santokhi points out that the government, through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, has indicated that a national debate needs to start before a diaspora policy can be developed. That is the reason why the VHP wants to encourage this national debate and eventually play an important role in it. Job creation was mentioned as one of the most important potential benefits. In an interview with de Ware Tijd Santhoki says that about a million people of Surinamese descent are living in countries including the Netherlands, Dutch Antilles, USA and Canada. This group has knowledge, ideas, networks and finances, and “we must make use of these things for our mutual benefit and the further development of our country”.
