Speaking during parliamentary budget deliberations in Suriname, ruling VHP party lawmaker Kishan Ramsukul has issued a urgent call for the South American nation to dramatically speed up its digital transformation efforts, warning that the country cannot afford to fall further behind regional and global peers.
Ramsukul centered a key part of his address on pushing for the rapid regulatory approval of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, pushing back against a common local misconception that the service would directly compete with state-owned telecom provider Telesur. He emphasized that Starlink’s core purpose is to deliver connectivity to remote and inland regions of Suriname where traditional terrestrial telecom infrastructure has failed to deliver reliable or sufficient coverage. By filling this coverage gap, the MP argued, Starlink would unlock new economic opportunities for marginalized inland communities and help bridge the country’s digital divide. He urged the Surinamese government to finalize all necessary legislation and regulatory frameworks without delay to bring Starlink online, allowing Suriname to join the dozens of countries that already offer the service to users.
Beyond satellite internet, Ramsukul also voiced sharp criticism of the slow digital progress in Suriname’s banking sector, noting that both ordinary citizens and local business owners face daily disruptions from outdated financial infrastructure. He pointed to unnecessarily long processing times for interbank transfers and the limited availability of modern digital payment options as persistent pain points holding back economic activity. The lawmaker called for urgent upgrades to the sector, including the rollout of instant bank transfers, modern unified digital payment platforms, and streamlined electronic payment processing systems. “Digitalization is no longer a luxury for our financial sector—it is an absolute necessity, and our institutions must keep up with global developments,” Ramsukul stated.
Ramsukul also pushed for broader digitalization of Suriname’s public administration, outlining a series of practical reforms including the introduction of official digital driver’s licenses, a major expansion of online government service portals, and the simplification of bureaucratic administrative processes. He explained that expanding digital public services would not only cut red tape and save valuable time for residents and businesses, but also improve government transparency, increase operational efficiency, and create a more attractive investment climate for foreign and domestic companies.
“If Suriname wants to develop into a competitive, modern economy, we must first build a modern digital infrastructure to support that growth,” Ramsukul told the National Assembly. Digital transformation, he emphasized, is now an indispensable foundation for broad economic growth, increased foreign direct investment, and inclusive development across all regions of the country.