Caribbean & Central America - February 2024

*** BOUTERSE DISAPPEARS IN SURINAME. On 20 December Suriname’s former president Desi Bouterse (2010-2020), who led a military dictatorship from 1980-1987, reached the end of his drawn-out fight to avoid responsibility for the 1982 killing of 15 political opponents. His 20-year prison term, imposed in 2019, was upheld and he was ordered to report to prison by 12 January, but failed to do so. The murders took place during a period of repression after Bouterse led a coup in 1980. He later served as elected president for the Nationale Democratische Partij (NDP) from 2010-2020. Despite Bouterse’s defiance of the court, the NDP has said that he remains the party’s chairman. His lawyer says that he is seeking a presidential pardon, but President Chandrikapersad Santokhi has said: “There is a verdict, and that verdict must be carried out.”

The optimists say that Bouterse’s conviction is evidence that Suriname is a well-functioning democracy, but independent analysts say that the system continues to provide cover for high-level officials and politicians involved in criminal activities. Bouterse himself was also convicted by a Dutch court in 1999 for involvement in the trafficking of 500kg of cocaine. In 1994, a former head of security for Bouterse, Marcel Nelom, told a Dutch media outlet: “The entire military revolved around cocaine, as did politics and business.” Bouterse’s son Dino was convicted on drug trafficking and other charges in the US in 2015.

The present administration is not without the taint of criminality given Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk was convicted for drug trafficking in the Netherlands in 1999 and in France in 2000. US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials reportedly suspect his continuing involvement in the drug trade. A board member of Brunswijk’s party, Algemene Bevrijdings- en Ontwikkelingspartij (Abop), Joel Martinus, was convicted by a French court in 2019 for involvement in the exporting of cocaine from Suriname to France.

*** ANTIGUA & BARBUDA BOOSTS CHINA TIES AMID IMF WARNINGS. Antigua & Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne visited China from 22-28 January and met with President Xi Jinping. Chinese media quoted Browne as saying that Antigua & Barbuda had been “lifted out of poverty thanks to help from China” and “is willing to be China’s most reliable partner”.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s latest Article IV Consultation for Antigua & Barbuda, concluded on 29 November 2023, said that economic activity should return to pre-coronavirus (Covid-19) levels this year, forecasting growth of 5.7% driven by a rebound in tourism and construction activity. Inflation, however, “remains elevated” at 6.6%. The primary deficit has been reduced to 1.7% of GDP, and public debt was down to 87% of GDP by the end of 2022. However, the IMF reports, “gross financing needs remain high at 14% of GDP, and an inability to access international capital markets continues to limit financing options”. Meanwhile, “the fiscal position may deteriorate if arrears continue to accumulate, or if the current financing options become unavailable or unaffordable, particularly if the planned deficit reduction is not realised”.

*** EFFORTS CONTINUE TO LAUNCH NEW REGIONAL AIRLINE. On 24 January the Antigua-based LIAT regional airline ceased operations. The airline had been servicing Anguilla, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, and St Maarten. Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica and Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua & Barbuda are leading efforts to establish a new regional service. Skerrit has said: “Dominica is still prepared to invest in any airline outfit that will serve the Caribbean because we believe that is absolutely important.” Browne, for his part, said that his government is looking to resurrect LIAT “with a vision of returning the airline to the skies”. He added that the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) will play a crucial role any plans.