Suriname’s Ministry of Justice and Security has implemented a landmark regulatory update that grants expanded legal authority to environmental inspectors who also hold positions as special police officers, empowering them to directly issue official violation reports for a wide range of local environmental and public nuisance offenses.
Announced in an official government order signed by Minister of Justice and Security Harish Monorath on September 4, and published in the Republic of Suriname’s Official State Gazette (Issue 90) on September 10, the amendment revises existing regulations governing the criminal processing of minor environmental offenses. The regulatory change was developed in response to a January 13 correspondence from the Attorney General at the Court of Justice, and both the Attorney General and the acting Director of Justice were consulted prior to the adjustment being finalized. The updated order includes new standardized templates for violation reports and court summons, alongside a clear, enumerated list of offenses that authorized environmental inspectors are now permitted to address during routine patrols and inspections.
Under the new framework, eight specific offense categories are explicitly designated for direct enforcement by qualified inspectors. These include failure to clear private residential property of overgrown weeds, unkempt shrubs, accumulated waste and other debris; the illegal dumping of garbage and refuse on public or private land; and the neglect of basic property maintenance requirements. Inspectors can also penalize property owners or residents who fail to maintain the public street verge adjacent to their land, a common public nuisance that impacts local infrastructure and community aesthetics.
Additional offenses covered by the new regulation include the abandonment of wrecked vehicles or scrapped vehicle components on public roads, and the placement of unlit objects on public roadways that create traffic safety hazards. Two fire-related violations are also added to the enforcement list: setting or leaving open fires on undeveloped private land, and lighting fires in or near vegetation owned by third parties. The first six offense categories fall under provisions of the Police Criminal Act, while the two fire-related offenses are prosecuted under Article 499, Paragraph 3 of the Suriname Penal Code.
The new standardized violation report template outlines the step-by-step process inspectors will follow during enforcement actions. When an authorized inspector identifies a violation during an inspection, they may detain the involved party, record their personal identification information, and inform the suspect of their legal rights: that they are not required to answer questions from authorities, and that they have the right to be represented by legal counsel during proceedings.
The regulation also establishes a formal summons process requiring suspects to appear before a cantonal judge. The summons clearly states the specific offense that was documented and the proposed settlement amount that can be paid to avoid further criminal prosecution. If a settlement is offered, the suspect can close the case by paying the designated amount no later than one day before the scheduled court hearing.
Notably, the list of eight explicit offenses does not represent a strict limit on the enforcement authority granted to inspectors. The official reporting form includes a dedicated section to document any other violations of the Police Criminal Act or Penal Code that inspectors may identify during their work, and to issue summons for these additional offenses as needed.
Following the publication of the order, official copies have been distributed to key Surinamese legal and law enforcement stakeholders, including the President of the Court of Justice, the Attorney General, and the Chief of the Suriname Police Force.