Suriname is a South American country located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, sharing a border with Guyana, and Brazil. It also shares a border with French Guiana, although French Guiana is not a sovereign state. The population of this country is approx 6,32,000 with 1,63,820 square kilometers area. Suriname, the smallest country in South America by land area and population, is covered by dense rainforest, with over 90% of its territory. About 50% of the population lives in the capital, Paramaribo. Ethnically, 27.4% 27.4% Indian, 21.7% Maroon, 15.7% Creole, 13.7% Javanese, 1.5% Chinese people live in this state. The official language is Dutch. In addition, 23 other languages are used by ordinary people in daily life. In terms of religious beliefs, about 47% are Christian, of which about half are Catholic, and the other half are Protestant. There are 22% Hindus. Sunni Muslims are 4%, Ahmadiyya 3%, other Muslims 7%. In addition, people of various other religions live in Suriname, and 7% are atheists. Suriname is a rich place for countless ethnic and cultural identities.
In many countries of the world, trade unions are formed to secure the demands of workers, but later they are used to secure the interests of a small number of specific workers. There are no regular elections within the organization. But in Suriname, trade unions will be governed by the principle of democratic organization and management, which will be based on regular elections of their boards of directors by secret ballot.
No one who is related to the President by marriage or blood relationship shall hold the positions of Vice President, Minister, Deputy Minister, Chairman of the State Council and other members.
These are positive aspects. Now let's discuss the negative aspects.
Article 68 of the Constitution mentions the reasons for which the post of a member of Parliament will be vacant. The most dangerous of them is that in Article 68/1/C, the constitutional validity of the vacancy of the post of a member of Parliament has been given through any law enacted by the Parliament. Special measures are required to amend the Constitution, and a simple majority is required to make a general law. There is a possibility that this provision can be used to target anyone with opposing views. The qualifications and disqualifications of becoming a member of Parliament should be mentioned only in the Constitution, and there should be no mechanism to determine qualifications and disqualifications through general laws outside of this.
Admirable Articles of Suriname's Constitution
Article 4 (Part of it)
The concern of the State is aimed at:
● A Secured means of livelihood for the entire nation;
● Sufficient employment under the guarantee of freedom and justice;
● The sharing of everyone in the economic, social and cultural development and progress;
● Participation in the sense of citizenship during the construction, the expansion and the maintenance of a just society;
Article 6
The social objectives of the State shall aim at:
● The identification of the potentialities for development of the own natural environment and the enlarging of the capacities to ever more expand those potentialities;
● Guaranteeing the participation of the community in the political life among other ways through national, regional and sectoral participation;
● Guaranteeing a government policy aimed at raising the standard of living and of well-being of the society, based upon social justice, the integral and balanced development of State and society;
● An equitable distribution of the national income, directed towards a fair distribution of well-being and wealth over all strata of the population;
● Regional spreading of public utilities and economic activities;
● The improvement of codetermination by the employees in companies and production units in the taking of decisions about production, economic development and planning;
● Creating and improving the conditions necessary for the protection of nature and for the preservation of the ecological balance.
Article 9
1. Everyone has a right to physical, mental and moral integrity.
2. No one may be submitted to torture, degrading or inhuman treatment or punishment.
Article 10
Everyone shall have, in case of infringement of one's rights and freedoms, a claim to an honest and public treatment of his complaint within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial judge.
Article 11
No person may be kept against his will from the judge whom the law assigns to him.
Article 12
1. Everyone has the right to legal assistance before the courts
2. The law shall provide regulations with regard to legal aid for the financially weak.
Article 13
Loss of civil rights or the general forfeiture of all the property of an offender may not be imposed as a penalty or as a consequence of a penalty for any crime.
Article 18
Everyone has the right of freedom of religion and philosophy of life.
Article 25
Labor is the most important means of human development and an important source of wealth.
Article 30
1. Employees are free to establish trade unions to foster their rights and interests.
2. For the exercise of the rights of trade unions the following freedoms are guaranteed indiscriminately:
a. Freedom to join or not to join a trade union;
b. The right to participate in trade union activities.
3. Trade unions shall be governed by the principles of democratic organization and management, based on regular elections of their boards of directors through secret ballot.
Article 35
1. The family is recognized and protected.
2. Husband and wife are equal before the law.
3. Every child shall have the right to protection without any form of discrimination.
4. Parents shall have the same responsibilities towards legal or natural children.
5. The State recognizes the extraordinary value of motherhood.
6. Working women shall be entitled to paid maternity leave.
Article 48
1. The State shall supervise the production and availability of and the trade in chemical, biological, pharmaceutical and other products, intended for consumption, medical treatment and diagnosis.
2. The State shall supervise all medical, pharmaceutical and paramedical practioners and practices.
3. The inspection of the products and functions mentioned in paragraphs (2) and (3) shall be regulated by law.
Article 50
The policy in relation to social security for widows, orphans, the aged, invalids and incapacitated workers shall be indicated by law.
Article 97
1. The President may not be related by marriage or by blood up to the second degree with the Vice-President, the ministers, the vice-ministers and the chairman and other members of the State Council and the organ that is charged with the supervision and control of the expenditure of state finances.
2. He who comes to stand in a forbidden degree of relation after his appointment retains his office only after leave thereto is given by law.
Facts of Suriname's Constitution
Preamble (Part of it)
WE, THE PEOPLE OF SURINAME,
inspired by the love for this Country and the belief in the power of the Almighty and guided by the centuries-long struggle of our people against colonialism, which was terminated by the establishment of the Republic of Suriname on 25 November 1975,
taking the coup d'ètat of 25 February 1980 and the consequences thereof,
SOLEMNLY DECLARE, TO ACCEPT, AS A RESULT OF THE PLEBISCITE HELD, THE FOLLOWING CONSTITUTION.
Article 20
Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful association and assembly, taking into consideration the rules to be determined by law for the protection of public order, safety, health and morality.
Article 68 (Part of it)
1. Membership of the National Assembly is terminated by:
a. Death;
b. Discharge on personal request;
c. Revocation of the member in the manner to be laid down by law;
d. The arising of conditions that exclude eligibility;
e. an appointment as Minister or Under-Minister;
f. Absence during an uninterrupted period of five months
g. Condemnation for criminal offence in an irrevocable judicial decision to a penalty involving loss of liberty of at least five months.
