PARAMARIBO – The judge recently halted the attempts of Baitali to put additional pressure on the state with regards to the rehabilitation of the Van ‘t Hogerhuysstraat by rejecting...

all of the lawsuits and temporarily freezing the execution of a previous verdict. The judge also reprimanded Baitali for abusing its right to execute the verdict. On July 10th, 2025 the judge announced a verdict aimed at getting the state via the Public Works Ministry to issue a call for tenders for the rehabilitation project in accordance with the rules. Baitali claimed that the state did not stick to the verdict and therefore took legal action to demand the release of the documents that were given to the Inter American Development Bank (IDB) by the government. The firm also demanded a hike of the penalties because it claimed that the existing sanction did not have the desired effect. The judge swept the imposed penalty of SRD 1 million per day off the table and put a freeze in the execution of the verdict of July 10th, 2025. This means that the mounting sanctions against the state are null and void. “It is a huge relief. I must discuss the continuation of the project with the team and the IDB but you can count on the fact that the work will start as soon as possible,” said Public Works Minister Stephen Tsang in parliament last Tuesday. Tsang explained that the decision of the judge was a necessary correction in the interest of the nation. Although Baitali could still lodge an appeal, the minister hopes that parties will opt for that which is in the nation’s best interest and put the legal battle behind.