Jurisdictions

Political history
Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. On December 15, 1954, Suriname officially became an internally autonomous part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Suriname was granted internal self-government, the so-called "Koninkrijksstatuut". According to this constitution Suriname could decide its own internal affairs. Foreign affairs and defense were still the responsibility of the Netherlands.

Suriname gained independence on November 25, 1975.

Formerly known as Dutch Guiana, Suriname is one of the smallest countries in South America and enjoys a relatively high standard of living for that part of the continent. However, like many Latin American countries, it faced serious political and economic challenges. In 1980, the government was overthrown by a military coup. The long democratic tradition, which began in 1948 with the adoption of universal suffrage, was interrupted until 1987.
		Square of Independence and the Presidential Palace in Paramaribo.

With the adoption by referendum of a new constitution Suriname returned to its democratic tradition.

Caribbean Community
On July 4, 1995, Suriname became a member of the CARICOM, also known as The Caribbean Community, the organization of Caribbean Countries.

In May 1997, President Wijdenbosch joined U.S. President Clinton and 14 other Caribbean leaders during the first U.S. regional summit in Bridgetown, Barbados. The summit strengthened the basis for regional cooperation on justice and counter narcotics issues, finance and development, and trade.

On January 1, 2006, the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) came into force. One of the main elements of the CSME is the harmonization of laws of the CARICOM member states such as the harmonization of company, intellectual property and other laws.

Suriname's international organization participation
ACP, CARICOM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Suriname also has close bilateral relations with the Netherlands and is associated with the European Union through the Lome Convention.
Suriname is a member of the Nederlandse Taalunie (Dutch language union).

Legal system
The legal system is based on the Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory. Influenced by the codification movement in Europe, the Netherlands Codification was established.
The Dutch legislation system was introduced in Suriname on May 1, 1869. This system was based on the concordance principle. The laws in Suriname had to be in harmony with the Dutch laws.
Situations arose in which the Dutch laws were not applicable for the Suriname situation and specific laws called the "Governmental Law" (Landsverordening) needed to be enacted.

The supreme instance of the Judicial Power entrusted with the administration of justice is called the Court of Justice of Suriname. Judges are appointed for life by the president. A nomination has to be approved by the Court of Justice.
Jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters is shared between the three district Courts and the Supreme Court, which also functions as an Appellate Court for the district Courts. The Supreme Court consists of a President, a Vice President and a maximum of 15 members.

The Suriname Code of Laws can be divided in:

1. The Private Law (Privaat Recht)
2. The Public Law (Publiek Recht)

The Law system in the Republic of Suriname has its foundation mostly in:

1. The Constitution
2. The Public Law
3. The Legal Claim Code and the Civil Code
4. The Penal Code and the Procedural Code for Criminal Law

The legislative procedure in Suriname:

1. First a Bill is submitted by the relevant Minister of State for discussion and approval by the Council of Ministers (Government).
2. After the approval the Bill is being sent to the Council of State. The Council of State consists of the social partners (the Trade Union Movement, the Trade and Industry) and Political Parties in Parliament (the National Assembly).
3. Following approval by the Council of State the Bill is being sent with recommendation for public session debate in the National Assembly.
4. Following approval of the Bill by the National Assembly it has to be ratified by the President of the Republic of Suriname.
5. The publication of the ratified Bill in the Government Gazette.

The Act can be enforced as Law.

The Political hierarchy of Statutory Regulations in Suriname:

1. International Conventions
2. The Constitution of the Republic of Suriname
3. State Acts
4. Presidential Resolutions
5. State Decrees derived from the State Acts
6. Ministerial Decrees derived from the State Acts

The 1987 constitution introduced a political system with an executive President and Vice President. The presidential powers are outlined in Chapter XII of the Constitution. The President is the chief of state and head of government; the President with the Vice President and the Council of Ministers form the government. The Vice President is charged with the day-to-day management of the Council of Ministers and is as such accountable to the President. President and Vice President are elected by the National Assembly. Government is accountable to the President; the President is accountable to the National Assembly.

Economy and potential
The economy of Suriname is partially based on the production of bauxite, crude petroleum and gold, and other forms of trading. Suriname harbors more rain forest than all of Central America combined. The Central Suriname Nature Reserve is part of the Guyana Shield, one of the world's most undisturbed tropical wilderness areas extending across the southern Guiana's, southern Venezuela and adjacent parts of Brazil. These forests have at least 75 percent of their original forest covered and many, like Suriname's, are still in pristine condition, virtually uninhabited and in some places, unexplored.

View of Brownsberg

In 2000, the World Bank ranked Suriname as the 17th richest country in the world in terms of its development potential. This ranking is based on both the natural resources on land and in the sea. Suriname continued to be one of the world's leaders in the production of bauxite and is a growing producer of crude petroleum and gold.

Source: The World Bank

Language
The official language is Dutch, but English is also widely spoken by a majority of the people.