PARAMARIBO – “Ministers who were also elected to represent the voters in parliament have three months to decide if they want to remain minister or if they...
want to accept their seat in parliament,” public administration expert August Boldewijn told Times of Suriname. Boldewijn explained that this transition right was written to prevent important state activities from stopping abruptly. “A minister can’t just stop so the law gives them three months to hand over their responsibilities and to choose,” said Boldewijn who added that this rule does not apply to the president and the vice president. It creates a legal hole because sometimes they are also reelected as legislator.
“The president has formally responded but he has explained that he cannot accept the position because he is still president,” said Boldewijn who added that “the problem is that a law was never passed to address this issue. “A law should have been passed to determine that the president and the vice president temporarily can’t accept their parliamentary seat until the new administration comes into office. Now things are not clear,” said Boldewijn. Uraquit Ramsaran,
Marciano Dasai, Krishnakoemarie Mathoera, Ines Pane, David Abiamofo and
Dionatha Vorswijk are currently ministers who have been elected and who have responded to the call from parliament. They can formally remain at their ministerial post for three months after the start of the new parliament.
Boldewijn emphasized that legislation is needed to prevent clashes between the legislative and the executive position. “Without that law things will remain unclear and that is not good for the democratic system,” said Boldewijn.