A significant political discourse has emerged in Suriname regarding the long-pending Wet Openbaarheid van Bestuur (WOB) or Law on Government Transparency, revealing a complex legislative history that predates current political claims. Contrary to recent assertions by VHP faction leader Asis Gajadien, historical records indicate the transparency legislation concept originated from Soewarto Moestadja during his tenure as Acting Minister of Home Affairs in the first Bouterse cabinet.
The initial draft, developed in 2014, was formally submitted to Parliament in 2016. Moestadja, now an NDP member and former parliamentarian, disclosed that he had already prepared a preliminary version during the 2010-2015 governing period under then-Vice President Robert Ameerali. This early proposal underwent two deliberations in the Council of Ministers before its parliamentary submission.
Political obstacles, particularly from the then-VHP opposition, prevented substantive discussion of the legislation until after the 2020 government transition. Following the political shift, the VHP—now part of the governing coalition—developed an alternative WOB concept. Moestadja emphasized that two distinct legislative proposals existed simultaneously, challenging Gajadien’s characterization of the initiative as solely his own.
The VHP’s version also faced implementation challenges during the previous governing period. While parliamentary committees under Gajadien’s leadership attempted to advance the process through interactive sessions with civil society groups, progress stalled due to absenteeism among opposition members, particularly from the NDP.
Expert assessment revealed substantial criticisms from consulted specialists and organizations including the Citizen Initiative, Surinamese Association of Journalists (SVJ), public administration expert August Boldewijn, and former Vice President Ameerali. The consensus indicated the proposal required comprehensive redesign. An evaluation by the regional Centre for Law and Democracy further confirmed deficiencies, noting insufficient scores on legal and democratic criteria.
In January 2025, four months before the May 2025 elections, Gajadien submitted an amended version renamed the Wet Openbaarheid van Bestuursinformatie (Law on Transparency of Government Information). Moestadja contextualized this development within Suriname’s broader legislative challenges, noting that three labor laws he proposed as Labor Minister similarly remained unaddressed—even during NDP-led governments.