Latest news with #ChandrikapersadSantokhi
Al Jazeera
07-07-2025
- Business
- Al Jazeera
Suriname elects first female president amid economic uncertainty
Suriname has elected Jennifer Geerlings-Simons as its first female president, with parliament backing the 71-year-old physician and lawmaker to lead the crisis-hit South American nation. Her election came after a coalition deal was struck in the National Assembly, which voted by a two-thirds majority on Sunday. The move followed inconclusive May polls and mounting pressure to replace outgoing President Chandrikapersad Santokhi, whose tenure was marred by corruption scandals and harsh austerity. Geerlings-Simons, leader of the National Democratic Party, ran unopposed and will take office on July 16. 'I am aware that the heavy task I have taken on is further aggravated by the fact that I am the first woman to serve the country in this position,' she said after her confirmation. She will be joined by running mate Gregory Rusland, as the pair inherit a country struggling under the weight of economic hardship, reduced subsidies, and widespread frustration. While Santokhi's government managed to restructure debt and restore macroeconomic stability with IMF backing, it also triggered mass protests over deep cuts. With Suriname expected to begin producing offshore oil in 2028, Geerlings-Simons has promised to focus on stabilising state finances. She has previously pledged to boost revenues by tightening tax collection, including from small-scale gold miners. Economists warn she faces a rocky road ahead. Winston Ramautarsingh, former head of the national economists' association, said Suriname must repay about $400m annually in debt servicing. 'Suriname does not have that money,' he said. 'The previous government rescheduled the debts, but that was only a postponement.' Geerlings-Simons will now be tasked with steering the Dutch-speaking country of 646,000 people through a fragile period, balancing public discontent with the promise of future oil wealth. As Suriname prepares to mark 50 years since gaining independence from the Netherlands this November, the small South American country is pinning its hopes on a new era driven by oil wealth and deepening ties with China. In 2019, it joined China's Belt and Road Initiative, becoming one of the first Latin American states to sign on to the vast infrastructure project. Suriname is one of the continent's poorest nations, despite its rich ethnic tapestry that includes descendants of Africans, Indigenous groups, Indians, Indonesians, Chinese, and Dutch settlers.
Associated Press
06-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Suriname's parliament elects the country's first female president amid economic turmoil
PARAMARIBO, Suriname (AP) — Suriname 's parliament Sunday elected physician Jennifer Geerlings-Simons as the troubled country's first female president. The South American country's National Assembly chooses the president by a two-thirds vote. Geerlings-Simons, a congresswoman, ran unopposed after her party formed a coalition aimed at ousting the country's current leader following a May election with no clear winner. The coalition was formed as the troubled country prepares for an influx of wealth following the discovery of major offshore oil deposits, with the first production expected by 2028. Geerlings-Simons, who leads the National Democratic Party, will be inaugurated as president of the Dutch-speaking country of more than 646,000 people on July 16. 'I am aware that the heavy task I have taken on is further aggravated by the fact that I am the first woman to serve the country in this position,' she said after the election. The five-year term of President Chandrikapersad Santokhi has been riddled with corruption scandals, and he was forced to call on the International Monetary Fund to get Suriname's economy back on track. As a result, the country's public debt was largely restructured and government subsidies significantly reduced. Macroeconomically, Santokhi achieved success, but people groaned under the austerity measures, which sparked violent protests. Geerlings-Simons, 71, and her running mate, Gregory Rusland, on Sunday told reporters they will prioritize stabilizing the country's finances. She had previously indicated an interest in increasing state revenues by, among other things, improving tax collections, including in the small-scale gold-mining sector. Winston Ramautarsingh, former chairman of Suriname's Association of Economists, said Geerlings-Simons will face serious challenges in the years before the country produces its first barrels of oil, in part because it must repay about $400 million annually in loans and interest. 'Suriname does not have that money,' he said. 'The previous government rescheduled the debts, but that was only a postponement.'
The Guardian
04-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Suriname expected to elect first female president amid discovery of oil reserves
Suriname is expected to elect its first female president this Sunday, the congresswoman and physician Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, 71, who will run unopposed after the ruling party decided not to field a candidate. Geerlings-Simons will succeed current president Chandrikapersad Santokhi, 66, who has been in office since 2020 and was eligible for re-election – but whose party failed to secure the two-thirds parliamentary majority required in the country's indirect voting system. She will take office at a moment of profound contradiction for the former Dutch colony. Independent since 1975, it is still one of the poorest countries in the region, yet Suriname has recently discovered significant offshore oil reserves that could generate billions of dollars in revenue over the coming decades. The country is not expected to begin production until 2028. Geerlings-Simons began her rise to power on 25 May, when voters elected the 51 members of Suriname's National Assembly, though the results produced no clear winner. Her National Democratic party secured a narrow lead with 18 seats, just ahead of Santokhi's party, which won 17. In the days that followed, she managed to form a coalition with five other parties, giving her the minimum 34 seats required to be appointed president. Last Thursday, which was the deadline for registering presidential candidates, Santokhi's Progressive Reform party announced it would not be putting forward a nominee. Geerlings-Simons's party was founded by Dési Bouterse, who ruled as a dictator from 1980 to 1987, a period during which his regime was accused of executing 15 political opponents in 1982. Following Suriname's return to democracy, Bouterse was elected president in 2010 and re-elected in 2015, before handing over to Santokhi. The current president told local media there would be a 'smooth transition' of power. Corruption scandals marked his five-year term, and he was forced to seek assistance from the International Monetary Fund to stabilise the economy. While his austerity measures helped restructure Suriname's public debt, they also triggered violent protests in the country of 600,000 people. During his presidency, oil reserves were discovered 90 miles (150km) off Suriname's coast. The project to extract them is led by the French multinational TotalEnergies, which announced in October that it would invest $10.5bn to develop the oilfield. Santokhi went so far as to propose a 'royalties for everyone' scheme, under which every Surinamese citizen would receive US$750 in a savings account, with an annual interest rate of 7%. The plan was one of his key re-election pledges – but it wasn't enough to secure his party a majority. With more than 90% of its territory covered by tropical rainforest, Suriname has come under increasing pressure over illegal gold mining and logging, practices that Geerlings-Simons publicly condemned during her time as chair of the National Assembly, where she played a role in advancing environmental regulations.
The Guardian
04-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Suriname expected to elect first female president amid discovery of oil reserves
Suriname is expected to elect its first female president this Sunday, the congresswoman and physician Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, 71, who will run unopposed after the ruling party decided not to field a candidate. Geerlings-Simons will succeed current president Chandrikapersad Santokhi, 66, who has been in office since 2020 and was eligible for re-election – but whose party failed to secure the two-thirds parliamentary majority required in the country's indirect voting system. She will take office at a moment of profound contradiction for the former Dutch colony. Independent since 1975, it is still one of the poorest countries in the region, yet Suriname has recently discovered significant offshore oil reserves that could generate billions of dollars in revenue over the coming decades. The country is not expected to begin production until 2028. Geerlings-Simons began her rise to power on 25 May, when voters elected the 51 members of Suriname's National Assembly, though the results produced no clear winner. Her National Democratic party secured a narrow lead with 18 seats, just ahead of Santokhi's party, which won 17. In the days that followed, she managed to form a coalition with five other parties, giving her the minimum 34 seats required to be appointed president. Last Thursday, which was the deadline for registering presidential candidates, Santokhi's Progressive Reform party announced it would not be putting forward a nominee. Geerlings-Simons's party was founded by Dési Bouterse, who ruled as a dictator from 1980 to 1987, a period during which his regime was accused of executing 15 political opponents in 1982. Following Suriname's return to democracy, Bouterse was elected president in 2010 and re-elected in 2015, before handing over to Santokhi. The current president told local media there would be a 'smooth transition' of power. Corruption scandals marked his five-year term, and he was forced to seek assistance from the International Monetary Fund to stabilise the economy. While his austerity measures helped restructure Suriname's public debt, they also triggered violent protests in the country of 600,000 people. During his presidency, oil reserves were discovered 90 miles (150km) off Suriname's coast. The project to extract them is led by the French multinational TotalEnergies, which announced in October that it would invest $10.5bn to develop the oilfield. Santokhi went so far as to propose a 'royalties for everyone' scheme, under which every Surinamese citizen would receive US$750 in a savings account, with an annual interest rate of 7%. The plan was one of his key re-election pledges – but it wasn't enough to secure his party a majority. With more than 90% of its territory covered by tropical rainforest, Suriname has come under increasing pressure over illegal gold mining and logging, practices that Geerlings-Simons publicly condemned during her time as chair of the National Assembly, where she played a role in advancing environmental regulations.
Times of Oman
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Suriname's National Assembly newly-elected chairman Ashwin Adhin takes oath in Sanskrit
Paramaribo [Suriname]: Suriname's newly elected National Assembly chairman Ashwin Adhin took his oath in the Sanskrit language. He is now the second leader in Suriname to take his oath in Sanskrit. The Indian Embassy in Suriname shared a video on the social media platform X, which showed Adhin taking the oath. In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Suriname stated, "Newly elected the Chairman of the National Assembly, Mr. Adhin, became the second leader in Suriname who took his oath in Sanskrit, a classical language of India." India's Ambassador to Suriname, Subhash Gupta, attended the inaugural session of Suriname's National Assembly (NA) on June 29, during which Ashwin Adhin was elected as the NA Chairman. Subhash Gupta congratulated Ashwin Adhin for his election. "Amb @subhashpgupta, witnessed the inaugural session of National Assembly (NA) on 29 June that elected Mr. Ashwin Adhin, a PIO, as NA Chairman. He became 2nd leader who took his pledge in Sanskrit. Later, the ambassador congratulated him for his election," Indian Embassy in Suriname posted on X. Earlier in 2020, Suriname's President Chandrikapersad 'Chan' Santokhi took oath in the Sanskrit language during his inauguration ceremony. India and Suriname share close, warm, and friendly relations, reinforced by cultural and people-to-people contacts, which are bridged by the Indian Diaspora's arrival dating back to one and a half centuries, according to a statement from the Indian Embassy in Suriname. Several high-level visits have been exchanged since the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Suriname in 1976, with the Indian Embassy opened in Paramaribo in 1977 and the Surinamese Embassy in New Delhi in 2000. According to the Indian Embassy in Suriname, the Indian diaspora currently constitutes over 27 per cent of Suriname's population of about 6.2 lakhs.
