Paramaribo, Suriname – Suriname’s national flag carrier Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij (SLM) has finalized a long-awaited updated financial report mapping the airline’s current total debt position, while its top supervisory leader has denied rumors of his resignation amid ongoing organizational and financial restructuring efforts. In an exclusive interview with local outlet Starnieuws, SLM President-Commissioner Marlon Telting laid out the state of the carrier’s turnaround work, addressing growing public discussion over the airline’s finances, audit costs, and internal board unrest.
For years, SLM has lacked up-to-date, formally approved annual financial statements, making a new comprehensive audit a critical first step for any credible recovery plan, Telting explained. A prior quick-scan analysis released between December 2025 and January 2026 was only intended to deliver a preliminary high-level snapshot of the carrier’s financial health, he noted. The new audit, conducted under an Agreed Upon Procedure (AUP) framework, was designed to verify and update key balance sheet line items, answering core questions that any restructuring plan requires: what debts SLM actually owes, what receivables are outstanding, what open loans remain active, and what potential financial liabilities could stem from ongoing legal proceedings.
Over recent years, multiple conflicting total debt figures have circulated publicly for SLM, most of which drew on incomplete or outdated accounting records and often excluded entire categories of obligations, Telting said. The new report is intended to resolve that inconsistency. While the full total debt figure has been finalized internally, it will not be released to the public yet, as stakeholders are still conducting a full content review and validation of the findings. The audit ultimately cost $78,000, a reduction from the original contracted price of $104,000 after the accounting firm offered a discount. Contrary to claims that a new auditor was hired specifically for this assessment, Telting clarified that the work was done by the same firm already contracted by the previous supervisory board to clear SLM’s backlog of uncompleted annual statements. The current board only issued an additional AUP mandate to this existing firm to generate the updated debt snapshot. Relevant sections of the final report have already been initialled by SLM’s director, finance leadership, audit committee members, and the auditors themselves, confirming agreement on the factual content of the assessment.
Crucially, Telting emphasized that the raw size of SLM’s debt does not on its own determine whether the airline can return to long-term viability. Far more important, he argued, is having a credible, actionable plan that allows SLM to generate enough revenue to meet its outstanding obligations. “The total debt figure matters far less than the roadmap to fix it,” he said.
Telting also pushed back on recent characterizations of the government’s monthly financial support to the carrier. Earlier this week, Minister of Finance and Planning Adelien Wijnerman stated that the government provides roughly $2 million in monthly support to SLM, which the ministry intends to formalize as formal government loans going forward. Telting noted that the $2 million figure is not a fixed monthly draw: in at least one month during the first quarter of 2026, SLM did not request any government support because operational cash flow did not require it. He did, however, acknowledge that the airline remains dependent on state financial backing, and confirmed that SLM has received no funding from state-owned mining company Grassalco since he took office, saying “We have not gotten a single cent since I was appointed.”
The completed financial report will now serve as the foundation for upcoming talks between the finance ministry, SLM’s shareholder (the Surinamese government), the airline’s executive team, and the supervisory board. Only once all outstanding obligations are formally confirmed can stakeholders move forward to decide which debts require restructuring, where costs can be cut, and which revenue streams can be expanded.
Alongside financial restructuring planning, SLM is already advancing operational improvements to strengthen its business. A new leased aircraft for the carrier’s Mid-Atlantic route is currently in the final stages of contract preparation, with delivery targeted for mid-September if all goes to plan. The newer, more modern aircraft will address reliability issues that have damaged SLM’s reputation with the current aging jet, which has faced repeated technical problems and service disruptions. Beyond better operational performance, the new plane will also include modern in-flight entertainment and other amenities expected from an international carrier, Telting said. For SLM’s regional fleet, the airline remains locked into existing lease agreements that run through 2030, and efforts to exit those contracts early have so far been unsuccessful.
To expand revenue outside of passenger ticket sales, SLM has recently launched certified belly cargo services out of Miami, carrying freight in the underfloor cargo hold of its passenger aircraft to build a new stream of supplementary income.
Addressing recent internal unrest within the supervisory board and rumors of his departure, Telting firmly denied that he has ever submitted a resignation, confirming he remains active in his role as President-Commissioner. He explained that there have been internal discussions about a potential move to the executive team, leveraging his extensive commercial experience, and he initially sought support from President Jennifer Simons, who represents the government as SLM’s sole shareholder. A board letter discussing the potential transition was poorly worded, Telting acknowledged, sparking internal debate. While the board discussed withdrawing the letter entirely, disagreements persisted on that step. President Simons subsequently convened the full board and confirmed she had never received a resignation letter from Telting, a position he reiterated publicly.
“There has been no resignation, and I remain in my post,” Telting said, adding that SLM’s executive director and the majority of the supervisory board have confirmed his ongoing tenure. One board member continues to hold a differing legal view on his position, but no other board members have opposed the conclusion that he remains in office, Telting noted.
He stressed that internal disputes should not overshadow SLM’s critical recovery efforts. The airline is in a fragile position, and public uncertainty can negatively impact ongoing negotiations with suppliers, lessors, and industry competitors, he explained. In the coming months, the priority will be to analyze the new financial report and translate its findings into concrete restructuring actions. Internal capacity building, cost control, a revised fleet strategy, expanded commercial activities, and a clear debt resolution plan will together determine whether SLM can eventually operate without ongoing state financial support.
