And Namibia Now Looks to Guyana eyesonsuriname Amsterdam, July 14th 2025– When East Timor became independent in 2002, it faced a major challenge: how to manage its vast offshore oil and gas reserves without falling into the familiar traps of corruption, waste, and inequality. The country’s leaders made an unusual move. Instead of turning to former…
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Suriname and the Future of the Global South By Anton JieSamFoek eyesonsuriname In The Future of History, political philosopher Francis Fukuyama raises a pivotal question: Can societies achieve prosperity and democracy without first building a strong, legitimate state? This question strikes at the heart of the challenges facing many nations in the Global South—Suriname among them. Suriname…
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More than three quarters of the Education Budget eyesonsuriname Amsterdam, July 7th 2025– Direct costs of crime in 2022 reached 3.44% of the region’s GDP, or so says the IDB study. It also says that the cost of crime is equivalent to 78% of the public budget for education, double the public budget for social assistance and 12…
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Democracy under pressure, autocracy on the rise O P I N I O N Anton JieSamFoek In the 1990s it still seemed self-evident: democracy would triumph. The Cold War was over, dictatorships fell like dominoes, and elections became the new normal worldwide. But that hope is outdated today. According to research institutions like the V-Dem Institute and Freedom House, we now…
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and other stories from Latin and South America eyesonsuriname Amsterdam, June 13th 2025–While I sit quietly at lunch in the hotel somewhere in Northern Colombia, waiting for inspiration for a story about Venezuelan refugees who often cross from here to Aruba and Curaçao to escape the regime of first Hugo Chávez and now Mr. Maduro,…
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Suriname in a World of Data eyesonsuriname Our world is transforming at a dizzying pace. Change has always been a given, a constant, when it comes to human societies. But the pace at which these changes occur is increasing with each passing day. Unquestionably, the digital revolution acts like a giant booster rocket mounted on…
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Capping AI or Full Speed Ahead? The Future Starts in the Classrooms. eyesonsuriname The rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) raises fundamental questions. Should we embrace this revolutionary technology without limits, or is it time to rein in its development and impose controls? The debate rages globally, with strong arguments on both sides. This is…
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Oil, Economic Transformation, and the Quest for National Development eyesonsuriname Amsterdam, 23 april 2025– Guyana, our neighbour on the East and an equally small country in the northeastern corner of South America, has long been known for its natural beauty, rich biodiversity and diverse culture. However, in recent years, it has been catapulted onto the world stage due to…
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eyesonsuriname Amsterdam, April 17th, 2025 – Suriname, often synonymous with Dutch colonization, holds a lesser-known yet fascinating chapter of German influence. The towns of Berlin and Hamburg in Suriname stand as enduring reminders of this heritage, showcasing architectural gems and cultural contributions that deserve recognition. Berlin, Suriname: A Testament to German Craftsmanship Berlin, Suriname, is…
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eyesonsuriname Amsterdam, April 16, 2025 – The Essequibo region, a contested territory between Venezuela and Guyana, has become a geopolitical flashpoint with significant implications for the burgeoning oil and gas sector in Guyana. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and U.S. President Donald Trump have taken starkly different stances on Nicolás Maduro’s territorial claims,…
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