Finance minister resigns

Finance Minister of Suriname Wonnie Boedhoe has resigned citing personal circumstances, according to a statement from the office of President Desi Bouterse.

"In consultation with Mrs Boedhoe we will be examining how she will be deployed and how the transfer of the Ministry of Finance will take place," the statement said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Lackin will act as finance minister.

The statement said that Bouterse accepted Boedhoe's request, and thanked her for her service since her appointment 10 months ago.

Boedhoe is the second minister to leave the Bouterse Cabinet. In December, Spatial Planning's Domain and Forestry Management Martinus Sastroredjo was fired four months after the government was sworn into office.

The Bouterse government has announced a number of ambitious plans, including the construction of 18,000 houses, a road to its southern neighbour Brazil and a bridge to western neighbour Guyana.

But due to financial constraints, the government has had to introduce a number of measures including a tax increase on gasolene, alcohol, tobacco and casinos, and devaluation of the Surinamese dollar.

Bouterse recently hinted that he was not satisfied with the performance of several members of his Cabinet.

Without disclosing names, the president said last week that it was important for ministers to understand his government's policies and execute them properly.

- CMC