Amid an ongoing legal process initiated by Suriname’s Public Prosecution Service, Bronto Somohardjo, faction leader of the Surinamese political party Pertjajah Luhur and sitting member of the National Assembly, has publicly reaffirmed his commitment to fulfilling the constitutional duties entrusted to him by voters. In an exclusive interview with local outlet Starnieuws, Somohardjo made clear that he has no intention of stepping away from his role as a people’s representative.
Under Suriname’s constitution, clear rules govern the process through which a National Assembly member may lose their seat, Somohardjo noted. Elected directly by the Surinamese people, he holds a constitutional mandate he says he takes with the utmost seriousness, and he plans to continue carrying out all responsibilities tied to the post. The lawmaker stressed that the allegations currently being raised by the Public Prosecution Service stem from his previous tenure as a government minister, not his current role as an elected people’s representative.
According to Somohardjo, the National Assembly has not issued a finding of guilt against him. Instead, the body only voted to clear the way for the Public Prosecution Service to continue its legal process. He reminded the public that in Suriname’s constitutional democracy, final determination of guilt or innocence rests exclusively with the judiciary, not legislative bodies. In line with his commitment to ongoing service, Somohardjo confirmed he will be present for the start of parliamentary budget deliberations scheduled for the same day he gave the interview.
“The Surinamese people can count on me to keep showing up for work,” he said. “I was not elected to run from responsibility; I was elected to represent the people, especially during challenging times.”
Somohardjo also drew attention to a perceived double standard in how similar cases have been handled by the legislature. He pointed out that when current National Assembly Speaker and former Vice President Ashwin Adhin was formally indicted while serving as a sitting parliamentarian, no question was ever raised about whether Adhin should forfeit his Assembly seat. “That is precisely why it is important that comparable situations receive comparable treatment,” he argued.
The lawmaker closed by reiterating his core principle: the Surinamese constitution must be applied equally to every citizen, regardless of position or political affiliation. For his part, he says his full focus remains on carrying out his constitutional duties, advancing deliberation of the national budget, and advancing the interests of the Surinamese people who elected him — a mandate he intends to honor through the full course of his term.