分类： politics

A significant political discourse has emerged in Suriname regarding the long-pending Wet Openbaarheid van Bestuur (WOB) or Law on Government Transparency, revealing a complex legislative history that predates current political claims. Contrary to recent assertions by VHP faction leader Asis Gajadien, historical records indicate the transparency legislation concept originated from Soewarto Moestadja during his tenure as Acting Minister of Home Affairs in the first Bouterse cabinet.

The initial draft, developed in 2014, was formally submitted to Parliament in 2016. Moestadja, now an NDP member and former parliamentarian, disclosed that he had already prepared a preliminary version during the 2010-2015 governing period under then-Vice President Robert Ameerali. This early proposal underwent two deliberations in the Council of Ministers before its parliamentary submission.

Political obstacles, particularly from the then-VHP opposition, prevented substantive discussion of the legislation until after the 2020 government transition. Following the political shift, the VHP—now part of the governing coalition—developed an alternative WOB concept. Moestadja emphasized that two distinct legislative proposals existed simultaneously, challenging Gajadien’s characterization of the initiative as solely his own.

The VHP’s version also faced implementation challenges during the previous governing period. While parliamentary committees under Gajadien’s leadership attempted to advance the process through interactive sessions with civil society groups, progress stalled due to absenteeism among opposition members, particularly from the NDP.

Expert assessment revealed substantial criticisms from consulted specialists and organizations including the Citizen Initiative, Surinamese Association of Journalists (SVJ), public administration expert August Boldewijn, and former Vice President Ameerali. The consensus indicated the proposal required comprehensive redesign. An evaluation by the regional Centre for Law and Democracy further confirmed deficiencies, noting insufficient scores on legal and democratic criteria.

In January 2025, four months before the May 2025 elections, Gajadien submitted an amended version renamed the Wet Openbaarheid van Bestuursinformatie (Law on Transparency of Government Information). Moestadja contextualized this development within Suriname’s broader legislative challenges, noting that three labor laws he proposed as Labor Minister similarly remained unaddressed—even during NDP-led governments.

Suriname’s National Assembly has taken significant steps toward judicial reform with the establishment of a special parliamentary committee mandated to engage with the Public Prosecutor’s Office regarding proposed legislation on the structure of the judiciary. The committee, appointed during Monday’s administrative session, aims to initiate dialogue with judicial authorities as early as this week.

Rabin Parmessar, leader of the National Democratic Party faction and appointed committee chair, currently oversees four distinct legislative proposals concerning judicial organization. Parmessar clarified that the decision to consult the Public Prosecutor’s Office stems from constitutional necessities rather than responding to Prosecutor General Garcia Paragsingh’s expressed concerns about the proposed laws. “This initiative reflects our shared commitment to properly establishing the judicial branch as a fundamental pillar of our separation of powers,” Parmessar stated.

Both Parmessar and fellow NDP legislator Ebu Jones emphasized that parliamentary members maintain constitutional authority to propose legislation, noting that the Prosecutor General’s public criticism through media channels occurred prematurely and without proper procedural context. Jones highlighted the established parliamentary process for legislative proposals, which involves formal submission, committee appointment during administrative sessions, and consultation with relevant stakeholders before public deliberation.

The current situation presents a unique circumstance where four separate committees—all chaired by Parmessar—will examine constitutional amendments and judicial restructuring proposals before they became public knowledge, somewhat accelerating the typical legislative timeline.

In parallel developments, the National Assembly established additional committees for other legislative matters, including a committee for the Sustainable Nature Management initiative led by NDP parliamentarian Rossellie Cotino. The government has identified this legislation as crucial for policy implementation, particularly following Suriname’s recent securing of $20 million in commitments from Nordic countries and international environmental institutions during the latest UN assembly. These funds remain contingent upon strengthening the legal framework for environmental conservation.

Notably, the proposed ban on online gambling has not yet received committee assignment as it was absent from the current session’s agenda. Jones has received assurances that this proposal will be prioritized during the next parliamentary administrative meeting.