A significant meeting occurred on Tuesday at the Office of the Prosecutor involving key legal and agricultural officials to address critical issues surrounding Suriname’s timber export sector. The discussion brought together Prosecutor General Garcia Paragsingh, Chief Prosecutor Roline Gravenbeek, and Deepak Jairam, legal counsel for the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (LVV) who also serves as state representative in the timber export case.
The high-level consultation focused on resolving recent complications regarding the refusal of LVV’s criminal reports on January 10th. According to Jairam, these procedural misunderstandings have been completely resolved through constructive dialogue. The Prosecutor General confirmed that LVV now possesses unrestricted authority to file criminal reports for any suspected offenses and has pledged full cooperation in subsequent investigation and prosecution efforts.
This emergency meeting was convened following a formal written request from LVV Minister Mike Noersalim dated January 13th, which urgently demanded criminal investigation into potential forgery of authentic documents within the roundwood export process. Minister Noersalim’s communication highlighted severe risks to Suriname’s timber export industry and potential international consequences if immediate action wasn’t taken.
LVV has announced its intention to file criminal charges against Anand Ramkisoensing, who has been removed from his position as Director of Agricultural Research, Marketing and Processing. The allegations center on suspected intentional misrepresentation of wood species on official phytosanitary documentation, resulting in timber being exported under classifications prohibited by importing countries. The ministry asserts these actions violate both national legislation and international obligations, potentially damaging Suriname’s credibility and threatening the continuity of its timber export operations.
Despite initial procedural uncertainties, Jairam confirmed the meeting ultimately strengthened collaborative efforts between the Public Prosecutor’s Office and LVV. Both parties have agreed that the Chief Prosecutor will maintain close oversight of case developments, and that LVV’s criminal reports will receive regular processing without further administrative obstacles.