The statue’s guild leader, Cyril Dahl, has moved over to Butter Weidmanblain

A statue of slain union leader Cyril Dahl has been given a new home on Pater Weidmanplein on Dr. Sophie Redmond Street. The statue was located on the grounds of the General Confederation of Trade Union Movements in Suriname (AVVS De Moederbond) on J. Lachmonstraat.

Moederbond’s board of directors, Assuria NV management and the late Daal’s family all agreed that the statue deserved a better, public place. After coordination with the Directorate of Culture and the Heritage Preservation Committee, it was decided to place the statue on Weidmanplein, where there are already many monuments to major trade union leaders. A ceremony was held on Thursday, November 24, to commemorate the statue’s transfer.

Minister Stephen McAndrew, responsible for Labor Policy, was present at the ceremony and noted that moving the statue from a private location to a public location would enhance the recognition of this great union leader. This, particularly in view of his contribution to the trade union system and the improvement of the welfare of the Surinamese working class.

MacAndrew also noted that Dahl’s statue now stands with other fellow unionists, such as Fred Derby and Hendrik Sylvester. Therefore he believes that the society as a whole will benefit from the resettlement and not just the family and the trade union movement, because when viewing the picture one can reflect the struggle the trade union movement had for the betterment of a lot of workers. and their families.

The Minister also took this opportunity to stress the importance of social dialogue and referred in this context to the concept of decent work that the social partners committed themselves to. MacAndrew also mentioned that he meets with RAVAKSUR almost every month to discuss labor issues in order to address the issues discussed through consultation and collaboration.

Carmen Dahl, daughter of the late trade union leader, was delighted with the public place her father had given the statue. She sees this as a tribute to her father’s struggle for the working class. Moederbond Chairman Errol Snijders and Mario Merhai, CEO of Assuria NV, are convinced that with the statue’s new location, the name of this union leader will not fade into Surinamese history.

The statue was made by the famous artist Erwin de Vries and is of high artistic value.