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Government

Simons–Rusland administration

Cabinet

In office since Wednesday, 16 July 2025

Vice PresidentGregory Rusland
Coalition: 34 of 51 seats · At formation, 2025
Party / list051 seatsSeats
Coalition34
18
6
6
2
1
1
Opposition17
17

26 seats = simple majority of 51. Seat arithmetic; voting rules vary.

Seat basis

Election of 25 May 2025, results established by CHS on 10 June; coalition alignment described at the presidential election on 6 July 2025. A20 is the one-seat electoral list; A20/DOE is the name used in the government’s coalition account.

  1. General election
  2. Results established
  3. President and Vice President elected
  4. Inauguration and transfer of office
Formation history

Developments

All developments

EAS supervisory chair warns of power-capacity gap and long equipment lead times

Summary
  • EAS supervisory-board chair Gerard Lau estimates Suriname’s electricity-capacity shortfall at 80–100 MW, potentially reaching 120 MW depending on weather and water conditions, in a government-published interview on 10 November.
  • He says generators take roughly 18–34 months to arrive and argues that thermal capacity must complement solar investment.
  • He describes a 20-year electricity-sector plan prepared with EBS and Staatsolie, with the first five years focused on the deficit; formal approval by state decree is still required.

Productive-work group announces a December symposium on poverty and enterprise

Summary
  • The presidential working group on poverty and productive employment will hold Innovate & Sustain on 1–2 December at Roeli’s Event Venue, with Anton de Kom University’s Business Administration programme.
  • The government says participation is free, with registration through the Suriname Labor Intelligence Platform.
  • The programme is to cover enterprise, employment and financial inclusion.
  • Organisers seek district participation through shared venues and online links and intend to publish recommendations and commitments after the discussions.

Goedschalk and Ramsukul challenge the scope of Mennonite enforcement

Summary
  • John Goedschalk called for environmental-permit checks at other Mennonite settlements, including Braganza, in reporting published on 10 November.
  • He says agricultural agreements do not remove the need to meet environmental requirements.
  • In separate reporting, VHP MP Kishan Ramsukul questioned why the government acted more forcefully against Mennonites than against destructive mining and other immigration violations.
  • He also asked how much the removals cost.

Wijnerman says debt payments are current and no new borrowing is under way

Summary
  • Finance Minister Adelien Wijnerman told Suriname Herald that state-loan repayments were current and funds for bond interest had been set aside.
  • She said the government was not taking new loans at present, although existing commitments could still incur fees.
  • Wijnerman described both the primary and overall fiscal balances through August as positive.
  • She cautioned that spending usually rises towards year-end and said the government was monitoring expenditure against the budget.

EZOTI consults on three draft business-regulation decrees

Summary
  • EZOTI held a stakeholder workshop at Lalla Rookh on 9 November with World Bank support under the SEED project.
  • The government account confirms consultation on three draft state decrees.
  • The drafts cover risk-based business registration and licensing, professional competence standards, and a Single Window for coordinated information exchange.
  • Stakeholder input and institutional preparation remain part of the reform process; the account does not establish enactment or implementation.
  • A separate 10 November session on movable-asset collateral and a central collateral register had also been announced.

Public bodies & services

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Public finances

Budget & delivery

January–June 2026 · SRD

Projects & implementation

Projects

Health-data team contests Ramadhin’s criticism and acknowledges unfinished system integration

Summary
  • Former health minister Amar Ramadhin asked André Misiekaba on 6 November to explain leadership, spending and implementation of IS4H and HEARTS digital-health work.
  • The IS4H technical team responded in a statement dated 7 November, reported by SUN the following day.
  • The team says GNU Health is installed in 22 of 43 RGD clinics, with 18 operational, and cites an IDB technical mission and regional awards.
  • It disputes Ramadhin’s account of progress.
  • The team also says full integration of clinic systems, the national health-information exchange and the patient portal remains in development and testing.
  • Technical changes, privacy safeguards and agreements with participating providers are still needed.

Palmentuin renovation aims for reopening in February 2027

Summary
  • Paramaribo’s Palmentuin is undergoing rehabilitation and is expected to reopen in February 2027, Suriname Herald reported on 5 November, citing culture director Xiomara Simons and the government communications service.
  • The garden has been closed since 1 September.
  • Work under PURP I covers paths, drainage, lighting, benches, safety and accessibility, financed through an Inter-American Development Bank loan.
  • The report says a 2024 management plan guides the work.
  • February is the announced reopening target.

Tsang calls for biodiversity safeguards at infrastructure conference

Summary
  • Public Works Minister Stephen Tsang called for biodiversity data, spatial planning and strategic environmental assessment to guide infrastructure projects when the Greening Transportation Infrastructure Development conference opened in Paramaribo on 3 November.
  • De Ware Tijd’s 4 November report says the meeting brought together Suriname, Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines and Ukraine and was due to conclude on 5 November.
  • WWF Guianas linked early planning to protection of mangroves and coastal resilience as ports and roads expand.
  • In a 6 November follow-up, GEF official Mohamed Bakarr said biodiversity and climate should shape site selection, financing and procurement from the outset; the Suriname project concerns port development along the Suriname River.

ASL3 prepares community training and small grants in West Suriname

Summary
  • The Oil, Gas and Environment Ministry says an ASL3 team visited West Suriname on 21–23 October to prepare community-specific training, ecotourism and non-timber forest-product grants.
  • Consultations in Apoera, Washabo, Section and Sandlanding underpin village workplans; traditional authorities will select eligible participants and community contact people.
  • Grant mechanisms are being established and training will begin in the coming period, rather than already being delivered or paid out.
  • The ministry also describes cooperation with the forest service on hunting concerns and community monitoring.
  • The GEF-funded Sustainable and Inclusive Development of West Suriname project is led by the ministry, with UNDP providing technical implementation.
Budget and historical portfolio