In a striking parliamentary session, National Assembly member Poetini Atompai (NPS) launched a rigorous interrogation into the compensation structure within Suriname’s judiciary, demanding immediate government transparency regarding its financial implications for the national treasury. The parliamentarian revealed concerning indications that certain judicial officials receive remuneration packages three to five times higher than the presidential salary, raising fundamental questions about proportionality, reasonableness, and governmental accountability.
Addressing Justice and Police Minister Harish Monorath directly, Atompai insisted on receiving comprehensive answers by the day’s end. His inquiry specifically demanded a complete breakdown of gross salaries for all judicial branch personnel, categorized by position and rank. The request further extends to detailed information about implementation timelines, total monthly state expenditures, and cumulative financial impact since these compensation structures took effect.
Beyond current figures, the parliamentarian seeks historical context—requesting pre-increase salary baselines, exact percentage increases, and the specific criteria governing these determinations. Atompai’s scrutiny extends to court clerks and their compensation relativity within the judicial hierarchy, emphasizing the need for complete structural transparency.
In a significant expansion of his inquiry, the NPS representative highlighted concerning compensation disparities affecting National Assembly staff themselves. Despite their crucial role in parliamentary operations, Atompai asserted these employees receive inadequate compensation. He demanded detailed insights into their current salary scales by position and information about measures being implemented to achieve market-conform remuneration.
Though time constraints prevented oral delivery of all inquiries, Atompai formally submitted his complete questions to Assembly Chairman Ashwin Adhin through official parliamentary channels, ensuring they enter the legislative record for mandatory government response.