💵President Santokhi, in ramping up to the election, continues to tout the Royalties for Everyone program.

Santokhi praised the country’s Royalties for Everyone program via proposed oil revenues.

• President Santokhi praised the "Royalties for Everyone" (RVI) program to ensure long-term financial benefits for all Surinamese, especially the youth.

• Santokhi used as an example a hypothetical 10-year-old boy, Junior, to demonstrate how a US$750 investment at 7% interest would grow to over SRD 50,000, over USD 1,300 by age 20.

• Furthermore, under the new civil law, 18-year-olds are legally independent, so young people will manage their own RVI funds.

• The RVI program is linked to Suriname's successful debt renegotiation and restructuring, which saved the country US$350 million.

• From 2028, oil royalties will be used to compensate foreign creditors via the Value Recovery Instrument (VRI), as approved by parliament. The expectation of oil revenues is expected to be massive over this period, and the citizens deserve to be compensated from these revenues, according to the government.

• President Santokhi has argued that if foreign creditors receive royalties after debt restructuring, Surinamese citizens deserve the same, inspiring the creation of the RVI.

President Santohki meets with students to discuss educational challenges.

• President Chan Santokhi met with the National Youth, Students, and Pupils Advocacy Organization of Suriname (NJSSBOS) to discuss challenges in the education sector.

• Key issues raised included outdated study materials, inadequate facilities at NATIN and the three-year HAVO program, poor sanitation, and unfinished school renovations due to a lack of funds.

• Santokhi expressed appreciation for the input, pledged government support, and requested a prioritized list of issues with budgets from each school.

• He also proposed including two NJSSBOS members in the presidential student development working group to strengthen collaboration and improve secondary education.

President Santokhi has blamed the Netherlands for the lasting disadvantages of descendants of enslaved Africans in Suriname.

• President Chan Santokhi blamed the Netherlands' colonial divide-and-rule policies for the lasting disadvantages faced by descendants of enslaved Africans in Suriname.

• He criticized politicians who still fuel ethnic divisions and pledged that his party, the VHP, would work to heal these divides by investing in marginalized communities.

• Santokhi unveiled a new education plan focused on the interior, including new schools, universities, and multilingual, remote learning.

• He also announced expanded student housing at Anton de Kom University and future campuses in Para and Moengo, where Suriname's first football academy will be launched.

Opposition parties have demanded a public session to discuss pressing national issues that have arisen.

• Opposition parties, NDP, BEP, NPS, and PL demand an urgent National Assembly meeting to hold the government accountable for pressing national issues.

• The opposition accuses the government—and the Assembly’s leadership—of consistently avoiding big questions and delaying accountability.

• A letter to the president requesting answers was only answered a week later, and the response was deemed inadequate by opposition factions.

• The opposition calls the repeated deferrals a "structural delay tactic" and criticizes the Speaker for allowing the practice to continue.

• Since the initial request on April 14, political tensions have worsened, including a coalition split and concerns over the legality of the aforementioned “Royalty for Everyone” program.

• The opposition factions want a public meeting now, with sufficient speaking time for all members and same-day government responses, without political grandstanding.

Suriname’s national oil company, Staatsolie, contributed over US$300 million to the national treasury or equivalent to 9% of Suriname’s GDP in 2024.

• Staatsolie earned US$ 735 million in revenue and US$ 430 million in pre-tax profit in 2024, contributing over US$ 300 million to the national treasury—31% of government income and 9% of GDP.

• The company produced 6.41 million barrels of crude oil and 2.9 million barrels of refined products; its subsidiary SPCS provided 67% of Greater Paramaribo’s electricity.

• Staatsolie invested US$ 3 million in community projects, with additional support from offshore partners like TotalEnergies and APA.

• A major step was taken with the final investment decision for the GranMorgu project in Block 58, with US$ 515.8 million already raised to finance a 20% stake.

• Staatsolie is expanding offshore and onshore operations, exploring renewable energy such as a 30 MWp solar park, supporting its long-term mission for Suriname’s energy future.

The criminal case around Pikin Saron refuses to proceed.

• The criminal case against several police officers accused of fatally shooting two men during the Pikin Saron unrest, which caused fires and in which the police fired on native American communities, was set to take place on May 2, 2023, but has been postponed to June 10.

• A key witness, M., failed to appear in court for the second time. Prosecutor Vijantimala Panchoe stressed the importance of hearing this witness and requested the postponement.

• A previous witness gave unclear testimony. The officers remain free pending the next hearing.