Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Ronald R. VENETIAAN
(since 16 September 1991); Prime Minister Jules R. AJODHIA (since 16
September 1991); election last held 6 September 1991 (next to be held
NA May 1996); results - elected by the National Assembly - Ronald
VENETIAAN (NF) 80% (645 votes), Jules WIJDENBOSCH (NDP) 14% (115
votes), Hans PRADE (DA '91) 6% (49 votes)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers; appointed by the president from members
of the National Assembly
note: Commander in Chief of the National Army maintains significant
power
Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale): elections last held 25 May
1991 (next to be held NA May 1996); results - percent of vote by party
NA; seats - (51 total) NF 30, NDP 10, DA '91 9, independents 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: The New Front (NF), a coalition of four
parties (NPS, VHP, KTPI, SPA), leader Ronald R. VENETIAAN; Progressive
Reform Party (VHP), Jaggernath LACHMON; National Party of Suriname
(NPS), Ronald VENETIAAN; Party of National Unity and Solidarity
(KTPI), Willy SOEMITA; Suriname Labor Party (SPA), Fred DERBY;
Democratic Alternative '91 (DA '91), Winston JESSURUN, a coalition of
four parties (AF, HPP, Pendawa Lima, BEP) formed in January 1991;
Alternative Forum (AF), Gerard BRUNINGS, Winston JESSURUN; Reformed
Progressive Party (HPP), Panalal PARMESSAR; Party for Brotherhood and
Unity in Politics (BEP), Caprino ALLENDY; Pendawa Lima, Marsha JAMIN;
National Democratic Party (NDP), Desire BOUTERSE; Progressive Workers'
and Farm Laborers' Union (PALU), Ir Iwan KROLIS, chairman;
Other political or pressure groups: Surinamese Liberation Army (SLA),
Ronnie BRUNSWIJK, Johan "Castro" WALLY; Union for Liberation and
Democracy, Kofi AFONGPONG; Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement,
Leendert ADAMS; Tucayana Amazonica, Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO
Member of: ACP, CARICOM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT
(nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Willem A. UDENHOUT chancery: Suite 108, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488, 7490 through 7492 FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878 consulate(s) general: Miami