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City Council
passes
Parking
Placard Bill JAIL
Vol. 30, Issue 49 QUEENS/LONG ISLAND/BRONX/MANHATTAN DECEMBER 6-12, 2019
By Bert Wilkinson
Political life has begun to
return to normal in the Dutchspeaking
Caribbean Community
nation of Suriname, days
after a court sentenced incumbent
head of state Desi Bouterse
to 20 years in prison for the
December 1982 executions of
15 opponents of his then military
government.
A panel of judges on Friday
handed down the rather tough
sentence on Bouterse, 74, while
he was on a state visit to China,
sparking widespread speculation
in his governing National
Democratic Party (NDP) that
the timing of the sentences
was primarily aimed at hurting
his chances at a third five-year
term in general elections scheduled
for May 25 next year.
Suriname’s President Desi Bouterse salutes during a military
parade after his swearing in ceremony in Paramaribo,
Suriname. Associated Press / Andres Leighton Continued on Page 12
By Nelson A. King
New York City Council on
Tuesday passed legislation from
Public Advocate, Jumaane D.
Williams aimed at combating
the use of fraudulent parking
permits in New York City, alongside
a package of eight other
related measures.
The Public Advocate’s legislation,
Intro 596-B, would increase
the fine for use of unauthorized
or fraudulent city-issued parking
permits, or placards, from $250
to $500.
“Placard abuse is egregious
across New York City, and its
damaging impact can be seen
on side streets and avenues in
all five boroughs,” Williams said.
“The effects of placard corruption
are not just an inconvenience
but a danger and a misuse
of our roadways.
“While the city has been
incredibly concerned with combatting
fair evasion, placard
abuse amounts to a significant
theft in transportation services,
and this is an effort to address
that beyond just words,” he
added. “Doubling the penalty for
such blatant fraudulent actions
will serve as a strong deterrent
to this abuse.”
Continued on Page 12
FOR
PREZ
Suriname’s Bouterse vows to run
again despite conviction
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