US embassy cable - 04PARAMARIBO523

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000523 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR -- MSEIBELE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, AORC, NS, OAS 
SUBJECT: SURINAME CLINCHES CARICOM'S SUPPORT FOR ITS 
CANDIDATE FOR OAS ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 
 
REF: PARAMARIBO 735 
 
1.  During their July 5-8 meeting in Grenada, CARICOM heads 
of state endorsed the nomination of Surinamese diplomat 
Albert Ramdin for the position of Assistant Secretary 
General of the Organization of the American States.  Ramdin 
is currently the Caribbean Affairs Advisor to OAS Secretary 
General Cesar Gaviria.  Previously, he served as CARICOM's 
Assistant Secretary General, as Suriname's Ambassador to the 
OAS, and as its non-resident Ambassador to Costa Rica. 
Ramdin told the local daily "De Ware Tijd" (DWT) that, if 
elected, his goal is to make the OAS stronger by 
strengthening democracies and by promoting good governance 
and sustainable development. 
 
2.  Upon his return from the CARICOM meeting, President 
Ronald Venetiaan declared that Suriname will work hard to 
secure enough support for Ramdin's candidacy in elections to 
be held during the next OAS General meeting in June 2005 in 
Ft. Lauderdale.  When asked for her reactions to the news, 
Nalini Sewpersadsing, the MFA's International Organizations 
Deputy Director, told the Embassy that she hopes that the 
Central American countries would support Suriname's nominee. 
She confirmed that, at this early juncture, Ramdin is the 
only declared candidate for the Assistant Secretary General 
position.  However, Sewpersadsingh noted that Paraguay may 
also submit a nomination.  Notably, Venetiaan's personal 
secretary Hesdy Pigot told the Embassy he had heard about 
 
SIPDIS 
the U.S.'s lack of enthusiasm for Ramdin's candidacy but he 
declined to comment further on the matter. 
 
BARNES 
 
 
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