标签： Suriname

On a recent Friday, Suriname Police Commissioner Melvin Pinas continued his signature “Kon Mit’ KC” outreach initiative – a program designed to build direct, open communication between the nation’s top law enforcement leadership and ordinary citizens – with visits to two busy public markets along Paramaribo’s Waterkant: Vreedzaammarkt and Centrale Markt. The walking tour and community listening session gave local vendors an unfiltered opportunity to share their long-unaddressed safety grievances directly with the head of the national police force, and the overwhelming majority of vendors expressed deep dissatisfaction with current security conditions in and around the market districts.

Most pressing for vendors was the demand for a far more visible police presence in the market areas, with widespread calls for immediate intervention to address persistent public nuisance and safety threats posed by unhoused individuals who frequent the market districts. According to vendors, these individuals regularly create unsafe conditions, commit petty theft, and have physically assaulted both vendors and customers. Even beyond core safety issues, vendors took advantage of the rare opportunity to speak directly with Pinas to raise a range of other community concerns, including declining foot traffic that has pushed sales lower, unregulated heat affecting daily work, and the ongoing problem of unlicensed informal fish vendors operating illegally within the markets.

Market master Sergio Anoesa and multiple vendors confirmed that attempts by market management and private security to permanently remove these unlicensed vendors have repeatedly failed. The unauthorized sellers have even been known to attack enforcement officials, in some cases using machetes to intimidate staff. While authorities are occasionally able to temporarily remove the illegal vendors, they almost always return to resume operations within a short period of time.

During Pinas’s visit, vendors detailed multiple recent violent incidents linked to unhoused individuals in both markets. One recent attack involved an unhoused individual stabbing both a vendor and a customer, while another incident caused widespread chaos when a man who had stolen a knife held it to his own throat while moving backward through the crowded market, leaving responders struggling to subdue him without causing harm. Pinas even witnessed an on-site arrest during his tour: police took an unhoused individual into custody immediately after they allegedly assaulted another person with a large piece of wood at Centrale Markt. Confiscated weapons from recent incidents at the markets included multiple knives and the large wooden weapon used in the attack Pinas witnessed.

When Pinas asked vendors to share their experiences with local police services in their residential neighborhoods, responses were mixed. Some reported that patrols are rarely visible in their communities, while others said service was acceptable but still had significant room for improvement. A common request across all responses was for clearer communication and faster processing of reported cases and investigations. Several vendors chose to share sensitive concerns off-camera, and Pinas left his personal phone number with multiple attendees, who confirmed they planned to reach out with additional details after the visit.

In response to the concerns raised during the tour, Pinas and his leadership team pledged to prioritize improving safety for the Waterkant market districts. Both Vreedzaammarkt and Centrale Markt fall within the designated security zone stretching from the Waterkant to William Kraanplein, and the department plans to roll out additional community police assistance posts at strategic locations across the zone in the coming weeks. The first of these new posts is already operational on the grounds of the Ramada Hotel and Casino.

Pinas expressed overall satisfaction with the progress of the “Kon Mit’ KC” campaign to date, noting that he has received consistent outreach from community members through the personal contact information he shares during visits. He added that the information gathered through these direct conversations has already enabled law enforcement to take targeted action and achieve measurable successes in reducing local crime. Friday’s market visit marked the fourth time Pinas has taken his outreach campaign directly to street-level communities, with plans to expand the initiative nationwide in coming months to give residents across all regions of Suriname the chance to meet and speak directly with the national police chief.

On Friday, October 16, persistent disruptions to drinking water access across multiple regions of Suriname dominated debates in the country’s National Assembly (DNA), with lawmakers raising urgent alarms over worsening conditions that have left thousands of households without reliable access to a basic necessity.

Kishan Ramsukul, a VHP party member of the assembly, was the first to highlight the crisis in northern Paramaribo, where local residents have received little to no running water for more than a week. He noted that initial official explanations pointed to a broken pipe at the Blauwgrond production facility operated by the Suriname Water Supply Company (SWM), but after seven days, the root cause of the ongoing outage remains unconfirmed and unclear. Ramsukul emphasized that even low water pressure creates major daily disruptions for households, but a complete lack of running water pushes families into an untenable situation. He added that water access failures are not isolated to northern Paramaribo: communities across Uitkijk, large portions of Saramacca, and multiple districts of Wanica are also grappling with identical shortages.

Lawmakers from across party lines echoed these concerns. VHP faction leader Asis Gajadien detailed severe water shortages in additional neighborhoods including Clevia and southern Wanica, criticizing the administration for failing to respond to previous parliamentary questions about the ongoing crisis.

While the dominant conversation centered on unaddressed outages, the assembly also noted a small milestone: the official activation of a new piped drinking water network in Block 3 of Sunnypoint, a residential area in Wanica District. NDP assembly member Silvana Afonsoewa welcomed the completion of the project, noting that reliable access to clean drinking water is a non-negotiable basic human need, particularly for households with young children. She called on the government to extend this critical infrastructure to all underserved communities across the country that remain outside the national piped water network.

Beyond piped supply failures, BEP faction leader Ronny Asabina brought renewed attention to the ongoing uncertainty facing communities along the Saramacca River, where a mass fish die-off earlier contaminated local water supplies. For communities that lack connection to the national piped network, the river is the primary source of water for daily domestic use. Asabina explained that residents still have no official confirmation of when the water will once again be safe to use, leaving them in a state of persistent precarity. He demanded that the government release full findings of ongoing contamination tests to both the public and parliament, and clarify the risks associated with current river water use.

Across the assembly, lawmakers emphasized that the water crisis has reached a critical turning point in many residential areas. They called on the government and SWM not only to reveal the root causes of the widespread outages, but also to outline concrete, long-term measures to fix the country’s troubled water distribution network and prevent future disruptions. Local residents are eager for clarity on when they can once again count on a consistent, reliable drinking water supply.

In response to the calls for action, Minister Marinus Bee confirmed that the government will formally address all questions raised during Friday’s debate during a parliamentary session scheduled for Tuesday. National Assembly Speaker Ashwin Adhin added that additional time will be allocated to ensure all concerns from lawmakers and affected communities are fully addressed.

Against a backdrop of global food system instability driven by climate shifts and geopolitical upheaval, Suriname’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (LVV) marked World Food Day on October 16 with a clear policy message and public outreach: prioritize local food production to build long-term food security, and foster the next generation of engaged food producers through hands-on education.

In his official address for the annual observance, LVV Minister Mike Noersalim issued a nationwide call for residents to intentionally choose locally grown food products more often, alongside a broader push for sustainable management of Suriname’s natural resources. The minister stressed that this dual approach is critical to building a resilient, self-sufficient Suriname where national food security is guaranteed for future generations.

“A future-proof food system does not emerge on its own,” Noersalim said, noting that meaningful progress requires bold policy choices, targeted investment, and a collective confidence in Suriname’s own agricultural capacity. He emphasized that food security is far more than a public welfare issue: it forms the foundational pillar of public health, national stability, and consistent economic growth for the country. The annual World Food Day observance also serves as an opportunity to honor the backbone of Suriname’s food supply chain, he added.

“On this day, we extend our sincere gratitude to our farmers, livestock raisers, fishers, and all supply chain partners who work tirelessly every day to keep our tables supplied,” Noersalim said.

Global disruptions have forced a defining policy choice for Suriname, the minister argued. Climate change, rising international geopolitical tensions, and widespread breakdowns in global supply chains have put unprecedented pressure on food systems worldwide, leaving countries that rely heavily on food imports vulnerable to price swings and supply shortages. Rather than continuing to depend on volatile global markets and large-volume food imports, Noersalim said Suriname has chosen a different path: one focused on boosting domestic production, prioritizing long-term resilience, and advancing sustainable agricultural practices.

This year’s global World Food Day theme, “Innovative Today, Nourish Tomorrow”, aligns perfectly with Suriname’s strategy, Noersalim noted. The theme underscores a core truth that guides the ministry’s work: every policy and public choice made today will directly shape the food security Suriname can deliver to its people tomorrow. Agricultural innovation, including climate-adaptive practices like greenhouse cultivation that help offset the impacts of extreme and shifting weather, is already being deployed to help Suriname meet its food production goals.

Beyond policy announcements, the LVV organized a series of community and educational events across the country to mark World Food Day, centered on engaging young people with agricultural production. At the Tamansari Citrus Plantation, the ministry hosted an educational day for students from Pandit Soerdjpal Ramjatanschool, where children got an up-close look at the diverse range of agricultural crops grown across Suriname. Students learned hands-on skills for planting and tending vegetable crops, and gained a clear understanding of how domestic agriculture supports the country’s overall food supply.

Amrish Bhaggan, Deputy Director of the Eastern Agricultural Division, highlighted the importance of teaching young people about healthy eating and organic cultivation during the event. He noted that introducing these concepts in childhood helps build lasting knowledge, and empowers young people to grow their own food responsibly from an early age. As part of this educational push, the ministry also donated hydroponic growing systems to two local schools, O.S. Baitul Rochman and O.S. 2 Tamanredjo, to help raise student awareness of food production and the value of nutritionally dense, fresh food.

Eline Troenosemito, an LVV policy officer who helped organize the educational events, explained that the programming is designed to go beyond basic awareness: students do not just learn about different crops, but gain the practical skills to grow food themselves. During the day, students also learned about agricultural operations in the Mon Tresor region and the history of the historic Mariënburg former sugar plantation, deepening their connection to Suriname’s agricultural heritage. The ministry’s ultimate goal for these outreach efforts is to encourage students to apply their new knowledge at home, growing small amounts of their own food and contributing personally to household and national food security.

On a Thursday evening in Latour, Suriname, local law enforcement carried out an extensive five-hour traffic enforcement operation that saw officers inspect more than 340 vehicles, issuing penalties to 29 motorists for a range of road safety violations. The operation, which ran from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM, was designed with two core goals: boosting overall road safety across the district and proactively disrupting opportunities for criminal activity, according to the Korps Politie Suriname (KPS), the country’s national police force. KPS officials noted that a visible police presence on roads does more than just curb traffic infractions — it also acts as a deterrent to broader criminal activity in the areas targeted for checks.
Breaking down the violations recorded during the operation, the most common offenses involved unlicensed driving and operating vehicles outside the permitted vehicle category covered by a motorist’s license. Of the 29 official citations issued, 10 fell into this unlicensed operation category. Nine additional motorists were fined for failing to get their vehicles undergo mandatory scheduled re-inspection, while six more received penalties for driving without a valid active insurance policy. The remaining four citations were issued for using non-approved vehicle lighting that does not meet Suriname’s road safety standards.
In a statement following the operation, police emphasized that motorists who choose to travel without a valid license or active insurance create avoidable, serious risks for both themselves and every other road user sharing public streets. Beyond penalizing existing violations, these checkpoint operations also aim to encourage greater personal responsibility among drivers, reminding them of their obligation to adhere to national traffic regulations. Looking ahead, KPS has announced it will ramp up the frequency of these large-scale traffic controls across the greater Paramaribo region. The operations will be held at rotating locations across the capital district, and will be scheduled at varying times, including both daytime and evening hours to prevent drivers from anticipating enforcement locations and times.
To help motorists avoid penalties and support overall road safety, KPS is calling on all road users to proactively keep their driving credentials, insurance documentation, and all other required vehicle paperwork up to date and readily accessible during travels. The force also issued a broader appeal to the general public, urging community members to remain vigilant for any suspicious activity in their neighborhoods and along roads, and to report any concerning situations immediately via the national emergency police line 115 or by visiting the nearest local police station.

A fatal traffic collision on Thursday left the driver of a red Toyota Auris dead at the scene after their vehicle slammed into a utility pole at the intersection of Abone Street and Arabiestraat, local emergency services confirmed. The crash, reported to Dutch police at 12:03 p.m. local time, left the vehicle’s passenger injured and unresponsive immediately following the impact. Initial emergency reports indicated one person was trapped inside the wrecked car, prompting authorities to dispatch local fire crews to assist with extraction and response operations. When first responders arrived at the intersection to assess the incident, they confirmed the driver had succumbed to their injuries at the scene. The unresponsive passenger was rushed via ambulance to a nearby medical facility for urgent treatment. As of Thursday afternoon, investigators have not yet released details on the exact sequence of events that led to the collision, and are still working to determine contributing factors such as speed, road conditions, or driver error. The intersection was closed temporarily while emergency crews cleared the wreck and processed the scene for investigation.