PARAMARIBO – Suriname’s national police force has announced plans to ramp up its visible presence and construct additional police posts in Paramaribo’s busy entertainment and tourist core, responding to widespread safety concerns raised by local business owners. The new security measures were finalized following a high-stakes roundtable discussion that brought together entrepreneurs, local district commissioners, and senior police leadership including the national police chief.
The meeting, organized by the Foundation for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship and Tourism, centered on growing public order challenges that have disrupted operations in the popular Waterkant district and surrounding areas. Business owners in the area used the closed-door session to outline the most pressing issues impacting daily activity, including persistent petty theft, unregulated homeless encampments, unlicensed street vending, and unauthorized individuals acting as private parking attendants to collect unregulated fees from visitors.
Among the clearest demands put forward by attendees was a call for a greater number of uniformed officers deployed to the area, particularly across the central city’s high-traffic tourist zones. Participants emphasized that increased visible policing would not only deter criminal activity but also reassure both local visitors and international tourists. In addition to more on-the-ground patrols, authorities are currently assessing locations for new permanent police posts in key hotspots, and are planning enhanced targeted surveillance at sites that have recorded frequent incidents.
The foundation, which spearheaded the discussion, noted that similar stakeholder conversations were held in years past, but the current effort aims to reestablish regular, recurring dialogue between the business community and government security agencies. The long-term goal of the renewed partnership is twofold: to enable faster, more targeted responses to emerging public safety issues, and to build a safer, more welcoming environment for Paramaribo’s key entertainment and tourism sector that drives local economic activity. All proposed measures are now moving into the detailed planning phase for implementation.