Asis Gajadien (VHP), initiator of the four laws concerning the financial provisions for the three branches of government (the executive, legislative, and judicial powers), proposed last Tuesday to reduce the President’s salary, which was supposed to be SRD 170,000, to a lower amount. The President will now receive four times the salary of a director. That is four times SRD 32,591, amounting to just over SRD 130,000. This decision was likely made in response to the significant criticism raised in the National Assembly (DNA) and the broader society.
Gajadien explained that historically, Suriname had a wage ratio of approximately 1:7 between the lowest and highest-paid civil servants. However, recent salary adjustments have led to a shift to a ratio of 1:3. Starting in January, the lowest salary in the civil service will be SRD 10,000, while the highest will be SRD 32,560, which represents a significant deviation from the earlier wage structures.
Gajadien proposed returning to the earlier structure, where the President’s salary would be four times that of a department director. He emphasized the need for a thorough study to determine how the ratios within the government apparatus should be established and advocated for maintaining the current ratios in the meantime.
Furthermore, Gajadien pointed to wage discrepancies within state-owned enterprises, where some directors are already earning more than US$ 10,000 per month. He stressed that it is important for high-ranking government officials, such as the President, to be compensated appropriately, given the role that state-owned companies play in the economy. The President’s salary should have a reasonable ratio compared to that of the top executives at state companies.
The issue of medical provisions for former ministers, former assembly members, and their families was also raised. According to Gajadien, the current arrangement places too much of a financial burden on the state. He explained that, in the past, assembly members were much older, but now relatively younger members are joining and expanding their families. The state must pay premiums for both the members and their children up to the age of 21 or older. He proposed reducing the transition period for former assembly members from 12 months to 6 months. For former ministers, this remains 12 months, while for the President and Vice President, a transition period of 24 months would apply.
