According to his plan, the safe zone will stretch from the area surrounding Hotel Torarica until the Central Market Paramaribo  (CPM) and it will be expanded into several surrounding streets within the historical inner city.

Minister Monorath expressed concern regarding the recent wave of thefts of busts and other things. He called the theft of busts scandalous because “these objects are part of the Surinamese cultural and historical heritage. According to Minister Monorath, the stolen busts are priceless because of their reference to important moments in the history of the nation. “This heritage is often created by Surinamese artists of whom some have already passed away. It is not just the disappearance of a bust but also of a part of the history of our country,” said Minister Monorath who added that the busts are high in demand on the scrap market because they are either made of bronze or copper. Even the busy that was located in front of the Court of Justice was stolen. Minister Monorath confirmed that a suspect has been identified thanks to the footage from the security cameras. However, the bust still has not been recovered. Minister Monorath urged everybody to keep an eye out and to contact the authorities immediately when somebody wants to sell the stolen bust to them.

He also issued a warning to the buyers of scrap metal. Those who do not obey the law will be put in jail. “When we must intervene, it will happen. People must not complain when we take action,” said Minister Monorath. Minister Monorath explained that the establishment of a safe zone is not only aimed at protecting people but also at protecting the nation’s cultural heritage. Officials are currently considering moving vulnerable historical objects temporarily to keep them from being stolen.