David George Findlay

David George Findlay (27 March 1913 – 6 April 1982) was a Surinamese politician, editor, and writer. He was the owner and chief editor of the newspaper De West.

David George Findlay
David George Findlay (1948)
Member of the Estates of Suriname
In office
1946 – 30 December 1954
In office
10 May 1955 – 1958
In office
1963–1969
Personal details
Born
David George Albert Findlay

(1913-03-27)27 March 1913
Paramaribo, Surinam
Died6 April 1982(1982-04-06) (aged 69)
Paramaribo, Suriname
NationalitySuriname
Political partyNPS (1946-1954)
SDP (1955-1969)
Occupationpolitician, editor, and writer

Biography

Findlay was born on 27 March 1913 in Paramaribo as David George Albert Findlay. He left for the Netherlands Antilles to work for Royal Dutch Shell,[1] and later became a teacher at the MULO in Aruba.[2]

William Kraan, owner of De West persuaded Findlay to return to Suriname, and become a newspaper editor.[2] Findlay returned in September 1943.[3] In 1947, Kraan retired, and Findlay bought the newspaper.[2]

Politics

Findlay was first elected to the Estates of Suriname in 1946.[1] In 1950, Lou Lichtveld had fired doctor Henk van Ommeren over alleged irregularities which were later proven false.[4] Findlay demanded the resignation of Lichtveld.[5] The matter cumulated in the downfall of the government in 1951.[4]

After a schism in the National Party of Suriname (NPS), Findlay left the NPS, and founded the Surinaamse Democratische Partij (SDP). In 1955, he was re-elected as part of the Unity Front.[6] In 1958, the National Party of Suriname made a comeback,[7] and Findlay had to wait until 1963 to be re-elected. In 1969, he retired from politics.[1]

Coup d'etat

On 25 February 1980, Dési Bouterse led a coup d'état to overthrow the government of Henck Arron.[8] During the coup, a hand grenade was thrown into the offices of De West, and the building was under fire. Fortunately the fighting only caused minor damage, but it frightened Findlay.[9] Later, the paper was forced to close.[10]

Death

Findlay died on 6 April 1982 in Paramaribo at the age of 69.[8]

Bibliography
  • De geschiedenis van het bagno van Frans Guyana. Paramaribo: De West. 1970.[11]
  • Trio en Wayana indianen in Suriname. Paramaribo: De West. 1970.[12]
  • De ontdekking van een Akoerio vrouw met twee kinderen in het oerwoud van Zuid-Suriname. Paramaribo: De West. 1975.[13]

References
  1. "David George Findlay". Suriname.nu (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  2. "Het dagblad De WEST is de oudste krant van Suriname". Dagblad De West (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  3. Joh. Hartog (1944). Journalistiek leven in Curaçao (in Dutch). Willemstad: Paulus. p. 332.
  4. "Hospitaalkwestie". Suriname.nu (in Dutch). 15 July 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  5. Wim Rutgers (2007). "Profeten in eigen land - twee maatschappelijke satires". Caribisch-Nederlandse literatuur 1945-2005 (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 March 2021. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  6. "Het debacle van Pengel kort samengevat". Star Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  7. "De NPS in kort historisch perspectief". Star Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  8. "George Findlay, hoofdredacteur De West: "Je hebt òf totale persvrijheid òf je hebt het niet" – Parbode Sneak Peek". Parbode (in Dutch). 8 December 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  9. Alwin de Rooij (2008). "Pers onder bevel". OSO. Tijdschrift voor Surinaamse taalkunde, letterkunde en geschiedenis. (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 March 2021. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  10. Gary Brana-Shute (1986). "Back to the Barracks? Five Years 'Revo' in Suriname". Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs. 28 (1): 93–121. doi:10.2307/165737. JSTOR 165737.
  11. "De geschiedenis van het bagno van Frans Guyana". bibliotheek.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  12. "Trio en Wayana indianen in Suriname". bibliotheek.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  13. "De ontdekking van een Akoerio vrouw met twee kinderen in het oerwoud van Zuid-Suriname". bibliotheek.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 March 2021.
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