Former president of Surinam Airways under criminal investigation

Happy Monday!

This week we cover the education reforms in Suriname, a former advisor to Suriname’s minister of foreign affairs and president of SLM is under investiation, and proposed judicial reforms lead to criticism.

President Simons has promised further education reforms in the country.

• President Jennifer Simons confirmed that education reform in Suriname will continue through 2026.

• The focus is on structural, long-term improvement of the entire education system, not temporary measures.

• Special attention will be given to children with special educational needs, an area currently lacking sufficient support.

• The president emphasized that every child must have a place in the classroom.

• Previous specialized facilities for special-needs students existed and should be restored and strengthened.

• A national education congress will be held in March to set a clear and shared direction for education policy.

• All key stakeholders in the education sector will be involved in developing a concrete reform plan.

• Simons expects the recovery phase to take about one more year to reach an acceptable education standard.

• Teacher shortages remain a problem, causing some students to miss daily instruction.

• Delayed teacher salary payments are being addressed, with government digitalization seen as a long-term solution.

A former President of Surinam Airways is under a criminal investigation related to the beleaguered airline.

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Cooperation of Suriname has officially revoked the diplomatic passport that had been issued to Xaviera Jessurun.

• Jessurun, who was a previous President of the SLM and currently works at the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, received a formal notification from the ministry about this decision.

• She was also an advisor to the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Albert Ramdin.

• The diplomatic passport in question was originally issued on May 13, 2025. Its revocation comes after the ministry received information from the Public Prosecution Service (OM) that Jessurun has been officially designated as a suspect since February 2, 2025, in an ongoing criminal investigation concerning Surinam Airways (SLM).

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that allowing Jessurun to retain her diplomatic passport under these circumstances could pose a risk that the document might be used to avoid potential criminal prosecution. Given this concern, the ministry decided to revoke the passport to prevent any possibility of evasion.

• Jessurun has been ordered to return the diplomatic passport within fourteen days to the nearest Surinamese embassy and warned that failure to comply will lead to passport deactivation.

As Suriname proposes judicial reforms, the Prosecutor General has her say.

• Proposed judicial reforms face sharp criticism from Prosecutor General Garcia Paragsingh. She opposes creating a council of prosecutors general, saying the current system works and it would risk political interference.

• Paragsingh argues delays in cases that are currently prevalent stem from police capacity and resource shortages, not the prosecution service.

• She argues that the current system—one independent prosecutor general—fits Suriname’s size, history, and constitution.

• Court President Iwan Rasoelbaks supports introducing cassation, but only for legal review and with strict safeguards.

• He warns of a shortage of experienced judges and suggests ad hoc specialist judges for cassation.

• Lawmakers Ebu Jones and Rabin Parmessar say the reforms aim to improve efficiency, coordination, and checks and balances, and that criticism should follow formal procedures.