Ahead of the August 1 implementation of new, higher automated teller machine (ATM) transaction fees in Suriname, the leader of the ruling VHP party’s parliamentary faction, Asis Gajadien, is calling on the national government to open its books and deliver clear, public justification for the incoming price adjustment. Speaking during a plenary briefing session in Suriname’s parliament this week, Gajadien stressed that the public is fully entitled to full clarity on why the fee increases are necessary and what factors are driving the change.
Gajadien clarified that he and his faction do not oppose financial institutions setting fees that cover their operational costs, but that transparency for the general public is a non-negotiable requirement. “This is not a fight against businesses that need to set cost-covering tariffs,” he explained. “This is about the public’s right to full, accessible transparency around changes that impact their daily finances.”
The faction leader emphasized that both the Central Bank of Suriname and the national cabinet share responsibility for ensuring that any changes to financial service fees are fully disclosed and explained to the public. He also drew particular attention to the disproportionate impact the higher fees will have on low-income Surinamese households, noting that the most economically vulnerable groups will bear the brunt of the new costs.
“It is the ordinary working person, the low-income citizen that will suffer the most from this increase,” Gajadien stated, urging the government to release full details to both the National Assembly and the general public as quickly as possible to address growing public uncertainty.
The planned fee adjustment was first announced last week by the Suriname Bankers Association (SBV), which confirmed that fees for ATM cash withdrawals and balance inquiries will rise starting August 1, 2026. According to the SBV, the increase comes on the heels of a cost review by BNets, the national ATM network manager, which adjusted pricing to cover rising costs for network management, maintenance, cybersecurity upgrades, and ongoing expansion of the national ATM infrastructure.
The SBV noted that individual member banks will retain authority to decide how much of the increased cost to pass on to their customers. However, when the association first made the announcement, it did not publish any public breakdown of what the new fee amounts will be. That lack of clear public information is what prompted Gajadien’s formal call for government intervention and full disclosure.