Suriname: Guyana alleges Suriname’s Coast Guard harassing Amerindians, fishermen – by Denis Chabrol

Guyanese Press reports indicate that Guyana is probing reports that Suriname’s Coast Guard has been harassing Guyanese fishermen and Indigenous Indians who traditionally fish in the Corentyne River, Minister of State Joseph Harmon said Tuesday night.

He said Suriname’s Ambassador to Guyana has been already summoned to the Foreign Ministry about reports that the Guyanese Indigenous Indians at Orealla were being taxed at least GYD$10,000 to fish in the Corentyne River.

A number of the Indians has been recently released from the custody of Surinamese Coast Guard.

Harmon told Demerara Waves Online News late Tuesday night that Guyana would be registering its objection to ensure that its rights under international law are protected.

The Minister of State said the matter would be further addressed by Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge when he returns from meeting in Ecuador. “There are wider issues of the use of the river that we have to deal with so the question of Orealla and the Amerindian people is one aspect of how the Surinamese have been treating with that river,” he said.

Harmon said fishermen were being pulled in and their passports and identification cards demanded.

With Suriname in the throes of a severe economic crisis, which has resulted in that eastern South American neighbour asking the World Bank for help, Harmon said Surinamese personnel appeared bent on exploring all available means to earn a quick dollar. “You can’t now impose almost a tax on them for that because that is what it amounts to,” he said.

The Minister of State said the encounters between the Indigenous Indians and the Surinamese Coast Guard have been reported to the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples.

Guyana Empowered People’s Action Network (GEPAN) says several Arawaks, who were fishing in the Corentyne River, were detained earlier this month by Surinamese Coast Guard personnel and returned the following day after they were warned against doing so again.

GEPAN President, Anna Correia has since written to Foreign Minister Greenidge detailing the incident as was related to her by former Toshao (Village Chief), Flloyd Edwards. “A group of villagers were fishing during the course of last week on the Corentyne River when they were stopped by the Surinamese Patrol and taken to Suriname where they were detained for several hours. Their families were not informed of the arrest and they were only able to return after having overnighted in Suriname. Attempts from the fishermen to explain to the patrol that they are Amerindians from Orealla who have strong ties with their Surinamese Arawak cousins of Apura, proved futile,”  states the letter dated January 26, 2016.

The Corentyne River borders the neighbouring countries.



 Almere Digest

Netherlands Judiciary: Poorly regulated debt collection agencies in the Netherlands are out of control

Dutch consumers who find themselves in a debt collection process are harassed  by the debt collectors, who are poorly regulated by the Dutch judicial system, and usually end up deeper in debt.

This shocking finding has become evident from an analysis made by the Dutch Consumer Association ( Nederlandse Consumentenbond) of complaints they received at their "Debt Complain Center hotline" which was opened in the spring of this year

On this Hotline more than 200 personal, often deeply disturbing and emotional stories, have disclosed how inhumane people are treated .

The Consumers Association says the situation is totally out of control and Bart Combée, Director of the Dutch consumer association says: “the human dimension in this process is completely lost.

If consumers want to contact the collection agency, they often get no answer or the door slammed in their face. If the collection train runs once, he can not stop it, otherwise, than by paying”.

The most common complaints about the Dutch debt collection processes are rapidly increasing and not clearly specified costs. Threatening letters about wage garnishment, foreclosure sales or lawsuits. Even if the debt collection agencies are not empowered to do so, or when it only concerns a debt of a few euro's.

The Consumer Association wants the Judiciary to establish clear and precise regulations concerning the procedures to be followed by Dutch collection agencies and want the Judiciary to firmly intervene when collection agencies violate these rules. It also recommends that companies, collection agencies and bailiffs should be more accessible and willing to offer more customization to the process.

It also wants to see that the intimidating behavior of the collection agencies be addressed immediately..

Bart Combée, Director of the Consumer association says: 'The human dimension is lost. If consumers want to contact the collection agency, they often get no answer or the door slammed in their face.

Once the collection train starts running, it wont stop, otherwise than by paying, usually a lot more than you expected. Even if you dispute a claim. "

Some claims are even based on debts made by deceased  parents of the people who received the claim under one of the many archaic and outdated laws still on the books in the Netherlands including those labelled under hereditary responsibilities. 

 

The Dutch Consumer Agency also wants the Netherlands parliament to intervene in this matter.

Almere-Digest