A growing public debate over the state of Suriname’s 1987 constitution, unfolding in local media outlets Starnieuws and De West, has arrived at a particularly timely moment, as the nation approaches the 40th anniversary of the document’s approval via national referendum in September 2027. What began with academic Hugo Fernandes Mendes’ sharp criticism labeling the constitution porous, incomplete, unclear and outdated has evolved into a broad public discourse, with scholar Carlo Jadnanansing exploring Fernandes Mendes’ critique, Stanley Esajas offering a counterargument, and Headly Binderhagel drawing attention to the extraordinary political and social challenges that shaped the constitution’s drafting process in the late 1980s.
In his op-ed contributing to this debate, Viren Ajodhia, a professor of constitutional law at Suriname’s Anton de Kom University, argues that the upcoming four-decade milestone provides a natural, fitting opportunity to conduct a full, honest assessment of the constitution’s performance.
Global data on constitutional longevity puts Suriname’s document in an uncommon position: the average lifespan of a national constitution worldwide is just 19 years, meaning the 1987 text has already lasted more than twice the global average. Ajodhia emphasizes, however, that long service alone is not a marker of quality, and a balanced review is necessary to address gaps and weaknesses that have emerged over four decades.
Contrary to much of the existing discourse that has centered on terminology and labeling Suriname’s governing system as parliamentary, presidential, or semi-presidential, Ajodhia argues this semantic debate is largely irrelevant. The core question, he contends, is not what label to attach to the system, but whether the system has delivered functional governance for Suriname and where improvements can be made. This assessment, he argues, should start with the constitution’s real-world impact, not abstract legal interpretation.
Ajodhia acknowledges the meaningful contributions the 1987 constitution has made to Suriname’s democratic development. After the 1980 military coup plunged the nation into a period without a formal governing constitution, the 1987 document restored formal democratic governance to the country. For nearly 40 years, through periods of political and economic crisis, it has remained the stable foundation of Suriname’s state system — a feat that is far from guaranteed in the nation’s turbulent political history, and one that deserves formal recognition. As a key example, Ajodhia points to the independence of Suriname’s judiciary, which maintained its autonomy during high-stakes cases such as the December Murders trial. This achievement, he notes, is largely rooted in the clear protections for judicial independence enshrined in the 1987 constitution.
Against this backdrop, the 40th anniversary is the ideal moment to launch a comprehensive national evaluation of the constitution, Ajodhia argues. Decisions on whether to adopt targeted amendments or draft an entirely new constitution should come only after this evaluation process is complete, not at the outset. In the interim, national leaders can take immediate steps to lay the groundwork: a series of academic symposia, a national constitutional congress, and public community discussions across the country can turn the anniversary from a purely ceremonial commemoration into a meaningful national conversation.
Ajodhia calls on Suriname’s government and National Assembly to lead this inclusive process, bringing together stakeholders from across sectors: the judiciary, academic institutions, the bar association, the notarial profession, the business community, and most importantly, ordinary Surinamese citizens, in whose name the constitution ultimately exists.
Closing his argument, Ajodhia notes that while the 1987 constitution is far from perfect, it has provided a stable democratic framework for Suriname for nearly 40 years. The 40th anniversary, he says, offers a fitting opportunity for the nation to cherish the progress the constitution has enabled while looking forward to targeted improvements that will serve the country for decades to come.