In a party leadership vote held on September 26 at the Broederschap en Eenheid in de Politiek (BEP) headquarters on Ephraimszegenweg, Edwin Noordzee has been selected as the political party’s new chairperson, succeeding outgoing leader Ronny Asabina who chose not to run for re-election. The vote took place during the BEP’s general members’ assembly, marking a formal transition of leadership for the party that currently holds one seat in Suriname’s National Assembly and serves as part of the country’s ruling governing coalition.
In a post-election interview with local media outlet Starnieuws, Noordzee laid out his core policy and organizational priorities for the party’s new leadership term, highlighting three key areas of focus: strengthening the BEP’s internal party infrastructure, expanding specialized training for party officials, and overhauling the party’s internal financial and economic governance framework. The new chairperson also emphasized that a top immediate task will be restarting a slate of stalled party projects that have been put on hold in previous months.
Under Noordzee’s plan, the newly formed party executive board will first draft a comprehensive strategic roadmap to guide the BEP’s work over the coming term. Capacity building for party cadre through structured training and professional development will occupy a central role in this strategy, he noted, alongside targeted reforms to the BEP’s internal financial management. Among the adjustments being considered is a revamped structure for member contributions, with the goal of building a more stable financial foundation that allows the party to consistently deliver on its commitments, programs, and public initiatives.
“We will first develop a clear, actionable plan,” Noordzee stated. “From that framework, the board will roll out targeted training programs, streamline the collection and management of member contributions, and reactivate stalled projects to move them toward completion.”
Notably, outgoing chairperson Ronny Asabina will not step away from BEP leadership entirely. He will retain his position as the BEP’s parliamentary group leader in the National Assembly, a role that is formally confirmed on the Suriname parliament’s official website. Per Noordzee’s explanation, Asabina will continue to participate in all meetings of the BEP’s executive board in his capacity as parliamentary group leader, maintaining a critical direct line of coordination between the party’s overall political leadership and its legislative faction in the national parliament.
Alongside his organizational and financial reform priorities, Noordzee has placed significant emphasis on increasing transparency and collaborative decision-making within the BEP. Speaking during the general members’ assembly after his election victory, he stressed that rank-and-file party members will gain an expanded voice in shaping the party’s strategic direction and key policy decisions going forward.