PARAMARIBO – Vice President (VP) Ronnie Brunswijk recently complained about the firm resistance that the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture and the Ministry of Finance and Planning put up when it comes to the education process in the hinterland. He claimed that he always has to finance the transportation of teachers to and from the hinterland from his own pocket. Despite the fact  that he is the VP, he can’t compel the government to give the children who live in the hinterland the same opportunities as the children who live in the coastal region. “I have to rent planes to transport the people,” said the VP as he expressed shock over the fact that he has to tap into his own funds to keep the education policy of the government in the hinterland from collapsing. “If the school closes for just one day in Paramaribo all hell breaks loose. Everybody wants to rally in the streets but our people have no access to education for many months,” said VP Brunswijk who added that there are equal opportunities being given to the pupils who live in the hinterland. The VP claimed that he has already spent about $15,000 on transportation for teachers so that they could be brought to the schools located in the hinterland. He wonders if he will have to make sure that the teachers can return to the city when the summer vacation starts. The VP pointed out that the government lacks sustainable plans and funds for these operations. He made it clear that it is the government’s task to transport the teachers…[+]