Gregory Rusland
Rusland in 2016
Member of the National Assembly
Assumed office
2015
ConstituencyParamaribo District
Leader of the National Party of Suriname
Assumed office
June 2012
Preceded byRonald Venetiaan
Minister for Natural Resources
In office
2005–2010
PresidentRonald Venetiaan
Personal details
Born
Gregory Allan Rusland

(1959-11-09) 9 November 1959
Paramaribo, Suriname
Political partyNational Party of Suriname
RelationsHarold Rusland (father), Andy Rusland (brother)
Alma materAnton de Kom University of Suriname, University of Florida

Gregory Allan Rusland (born 9 November 1959) is a Surinamese politician. He served as Minister for Natural Resources between 2005 and 2010. In 2012 he became leader of the National Party of Suriname. Rusland has been a member of the National Assembly since 2015.

Early life and career

Rusland was born on 9 November 1959 in Paramaribo.[1] He studied agricultural production at the Anton de Kom University of Suriname and received a bachelor's degree in 1982. He continued his studies in the same field at the University of Florida and obtained an MSc in 1984.[2] Rusland obtained a further PhD at the same institute in 1987. He held several teaching positions at the Anton de Kom University of Suriname between 1987 and 2005.[1][2] Between 1987 and 2000 Rusland also helped found several institutes at the university. He also went into business and amongst other ventures served as president-commissioner of a shrimp company.[3]

Political career

Rusland served as Minister for Natural Resources between 2005 and 2010.[4][5] In this period he received criticism for the low taxation rate that Canadian mining company Iamgold had to pay.[4] After the 2010 Surinamese general election Rusland was candidate for the Vice Presidency on behalf of the New Front for Democracy and Development next to presidential candidate Chan Santokhi.[6]

Since June 2012 Rusland is leader of the National Party of Suriname, taking over leadership from Ronald Venetiaan.[5][7] He won the internal party election against Ivan Fernald, with Rusland winning seven out of eleven districts.[7]

In the 2015 Surinamese general election, Rusland was elected to the National Assembly for the electoral district of Paramaribo.[8] After the elections the National Assembly had to elect the President and Vice President of Suriname. Rusland once again served as candidate for vice president next to Chan Santokhi.[4]

In March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Suriname, Rusland expressed support for the government measures taken to suppress the pandemic. However, he was critical of the evening curfew, stating that it reminded him of the military government of the 1980s.[9] On 23 April 2020, after the public prosector had indicated that it wanted to prosecute Finance Minister Gillmore Hoefdraad for mismanagement at the Central Bank of Suriname, Rusland stated that Hoedraad should immediately offer his position to the President.[10][11]

On 30 May 2020, five days after the 2020 Surinamese general election was held, and with the official results still pending, Rusland and the leaders of the Progressive Reform Party, General Liberation and Development Party and Pertjajah Luhur signed an agreement to form a coalition government.[12]

Rusland was once again elected to the National Assembly for Paramaribo District in the 2020 elections.[13] On 1 July 2020, Rusland tested COVID-19 positive. He had been tested, because Paul Somohardjo with whom he had lengthy meetings about the new government tested positive.[14] Rusland's wife was infected as well even though she had stayed at home for the last three weeks.[15]

In December 2020 he was re-elected as leader of the National Party of Suriname for a third time.[16][17][18]

Personal life

Rusland is married and has two children.[1] His father Harold Rusland was a union leader and served as Minister of Education and his brother Andy Rusland served as Minister of Finance.[2][19] Rusland has stated he is oriented towards the United States and has a special link with Florida.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Curriculum Vitae Gregory Allan. Rusland". National Party of Suriname. Archived from the original on 11 October 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 "Minister Gregory Rusland beter leren kennen" (in Dutch). Dagblad Suriname. 2 September 2005. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
  3. 1 2 Naomi Hoever (14 December 2019). "Kwaadsprekerij over woning Rusland in Florida" (in Dutch). dwtonline.com. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 Ivo Evers; Pieter Van Maele (4 October 2012). Bouterse aan de macht. Bezige Bij b.v., Uitgeverij De. p. 151. ISBN 978-90-234-7334-3.
  5. 1 2 "Gregory Rusland leider Nationale Partij Suriname" (in Dutch). Waterkant. 17 June 2012. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017.
  6. ↑ "Santokhi uitdager Bouterse in Suriname" (in Dutch). Het Parool. 16 July 2010. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Gregory Rusland, nieuwe voorzitter NPS" (in Dutch). StarNieuws. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017.
  8. ↑ "Hr. Dr. Gregory A. Rusland" (in Dutch). National Assembly of Suriname. Archived from the original on 28 February 2020.
  9. ↑ "Gregory Rusland: "Het woord avondklok brengt ons terug naar de jaren tachtig"" (in Dutch). Suriname Herald. 28 March 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  10. ↑ "OM Suriname wil vervolging minister van Financiën" (in Dutch). Eindhovens Dagblad. 24 April 2020. Archived from the original on 6 June 2020.
  11. ↑ "Rusland: Minister Hoefdraad moet onmiddellijk bedanken" (in Dutch). StarNieuws. 23 April 2020. Archived from the original on 1 May 2020.
  12. ↑ Nina Jurna (31 May 2020). "Surinaamse oppositie sluit al akkoord voor nieuwe regering" (in Dutch). NRC Handelsblad. Archived from the original on 6 June 2020.
  13. ↑ "16 vrouwen gekozen in DNA; 18 oud-leden keren terug". Star Nieuws (in Dutch). 18 June 2020. Archived from the original on 19 June 2020.
  14. ↑ "Brunswijk ook positief; DNA-vergadering uitgesteld". Star Nieuws (in Dutch). 1 July 2020. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020.
  15. ↑ "NPS-voorzitter en echtgenote thuis in isolatie". Star Nieuws (in Dutch). 1 July 2020. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020.
  16. ↑ "Gregory Rusland herkozen als voorzitter NPS" (in Dutch). Suriname Herald. 13 December 2020. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021.
  17. ↑ "Gregory Rusland voor de derde keer gekozen als voorzitter NPS" (in Dutch). Radio 10. Archived from the original on 18 February 2021.
  18. ↑ "VIDEO: Gregory Rusland herkozen als voorzitter van de NPS" (in Dutch). Waterkant. 13 December 2020. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021.
  19. ↑ "Suriname's minister van Financiën: Andy Rusland" (in Dutch). Waterkant.net. 1 January 2014. Archived from the original on 6 June 2020.
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