A political firestorm engulfed Suriname’s National Assembly (DNA) on Tuesday following controversial remarks by VHP Assembly member Ameerani Jarbandhan regarding the Prosecutor-General’s alleged political leanings. The parliamentary session, initially convened to debate judicial reform bills, rapidly devolved into heated exchanges concerning the politicization of independent state institutions.
Jarbandhan’s commentary emerged during deliberations on legislative amendments concerning the Public Prosecutor’s Office. While addressing case backlogs attributed to resource constraints, expertise shortages, and operational limitations within law enforcement, the assembly member questioned whether proposed changes—including adjustments to the Prosecutor-General’s retirement age—concealed ulterior motives. She explicitly suggested these amendments might represent a subtle effort to remove the official, potentially linked to her political convictions.
The controversy deepened with revelations that ruling coalition members (BEP, ABOP, PL) had previously supported raising the retirement age from 65 to 70 in 2024, only to reverse their position through current legislative initiatives. Jarbandhan framed this reversal as a threat to separation of powers, warning that implementing drastic judicial changes without broad national consultation jeopardizes constitutional integrity.
Assembly Chairman Ashwin Adhin intervened decisively, declaring any discussion of the Prosecutor-General’s political affiliation fundamentally unacceptable. “The Prosecutor-General exists outside political discourse,” Adhin asserted. “As an independent institution lacking representation in this chamber, she merits protection rather than political characterization.” His admonition to maintain technical and policy-focused debate was reinforced by cross-party objections, including suspension requests from VHP member Cedric van Samson and neutrality reminders from NDP leader Rabin Parmessar.
Post-recess, acting VHP leader Dew Sharman attempted damage control by distancing his party from Jarbandhan’s phrasing. Attributing her comments to “juvenile enthusiasm,” Sharman emphasized institutional rather than personal scrutiny should guide deliberations. He proposed retracting or reformulating problematic statements to preserve parliamentary decorum.
Tensions reignited when PL leader Bronto Somohardjo explicitly associated the Prosecutor-General with VHP affiliations, prompting VHP member Krishna Mathoera to demand corrective action. Mathoera condemned political labeling of absent independent officials as “unacceptable, improper, and inappropriate,” urging audio review of contentious statements—a request ultimately denied as Somohardjo refused retraction.