Suriname is located on the North-eastern coast of South America. It shares its borders with Guyana to the west, French Guyana to the east and Brazil to the South. Suriname’s surface area is 63,251 square miles with a population of approximately 433,998 (July 2001 estimate). The forested area constitutes about 85% of the national territory and is accessible only by air or via the north-south rivers. Bauxite industry accounts for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings. The official language is Dutch; most people also speak Sranang Tongo, which is a local English-based Creole. English, Hindi, Javanese and Chinese are also spoken.
Independence from Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime. The military continued to rule through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally brought about a democratic election. In 1989, the military overthrew the civilian government again with a so-called “telephone coup”, but a democratically elected government returned to power in 1991. As at February 2000 there were eleven political groups in the National Assembly, two of which are coalitions of smaller parties, plus a number of independent members. The political climate in Suriname for the last 5 to 10 years has been strongly influenced by the transformation of an undemocratic government to a democratic one, based on the legitimacy of the government authority and the period of political isolation towards a period of strengthening and broadening of international contacts.
Suriname started implementing a Structural Adjustment Program in the early nineties, but after change in government in 1996, the new Government ended this program, claiming that it was unfair to the poorer elements of the society. However, economic growth slowed in 1998, with decline in the mining, construction, and utility sectors. Rampant government expenditures, poor tax collection and reduced foreign aid in 1999 contributed to larger fiscal deficits (11% of GDP).
A new Government elected in 2000 has started a new austerity program. However, the unemployment rates within the formal labour market are still increasing and the economy is not yet giving signs of recuperation. Public corruption, though by no means universal, is also a serious problem in Suriname. Reports of money laundering, drug trafficking and associated criminal activity involving current and former government and military officials continue unabated, if generally unproved through legal processes. The new government however, has put anti-corruption efforts high on its priority list and established an anti-corruption commission.
The drug situation in Suriname is a matter of great concern. Suriname is being used mainly as a trans-shipment point due to its strategic geographical location and its regular direct air connection to the Netherlands. Because of the size of the country and the limited human and material resources, the combating of the drugs trafficking seems to be very difficult. During the year 2000, approximately 75,000 cannabis plants were eradicated in DEA sponsored operations in Suriname. In 1999 these efforts led to the eradication of approximately 200,000 cannabis plants. XTC tablets seizures in 1999 and 2000 were approximately 10,000 and 61,232 respectively. Approximately 15 grams of heroin was seized in 1999 and 35.2 grams in 2000. During 1999 till the third quarter of 2000, a total of 2103 cocaine balls, with a total weight of 17,544.39 grams, were swallowed by 35 “swallowers”. The total amount of cocaine seized over the same period was 354,498.8 grams. In 2001 the Police and Customs seized 2510 kilograms of Cocaine, 5.4. Kilograms of Marihuana, and 211 gram of hashish. 12 hectares of Cannabis plants were also manually eradicated in 2001.
Suriname is not a cultivator of coca leaves and no cocaine manufacturing takes place. Cannabis is grown and used in t |
