Fines up to SRD 10,000: environmental inspectors allowed to take tougher action against pollution

Environmental inspectors may now act as extraordinary police officers (bavp) against various forms of environmental pollution. Under the amended criminal enforcement provisions, they may draw up official reports against offenders during inspections. Fines for environmental violations range from SRD 1,000 to SRD 10,000.

The measures include throwing waste from vehicles, illegal dumping, poorly maintained plots and road verges, and placing vehicle wrecks on public roads. Certain forms of irresponsible fire-setting can also be addressed.

Minister Harish Monorath of Justice and Security (JuVe) told the Communicatie Dienst Suriname (CDS) that the promulgation of the fine decree fulfils a long-held wish of society, the ministry and the Openbaar Ministerie (OM, Public Prosecution Service).

According to Monorath, the decree gives enforcement services more opportunities to take actual action against environmental violations.

Three enforcement models

The minister referred to a resolution of March 4, 2026, under which earlier regulations from 2007 were further amended. In a letter from the prosecutor-general dated January 13, 2026, he said it had been indicated that the fine decree for environmental violations needed to be further regulated.

Three models are used in this regard: A3, B3 and C. These are intended, among other things, to establish who the offender is, which violation was committed and what powers the enforcement officer concerned has.

According to the minister, the regulation applies, among others, to environmental inspectors from the Ministry of Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Arbeid (VWA), the Ministry of Openbare Werken en Ruimtelijke Ordening (ORWO), and the police.

Fines up to SRD 10,000

According to the ministry, fines for environmental violations range from SRD 1,000 to SRD 10,000, depending on the violation.

The list of fines was promulgated on Monday, September 14, 2026, at the Ministry of Binnenlandse Zaken. A day later, the prosecutor-general announced the corresponding amounts.

According to Monorath, violations can be addressed under the new regulation from Tuesday, September 15.

The government also intends to organise a meeting with the relevant agencies to inform the public more extensively about the rules and how they will be enforced.

Addressing grass fires as well

The minister also announced that the government is working on regulations to address grass fires. Persons responsible for such fires must also be punishable, he said.

According to Monorath, the government intends to use various tools in enforcement, including footage from Safe City cameras, to identify offenders.

The minister stressed that citizens also bear responsibility for keeping their surroundings clean. With the new measures, the government aims to enforce existing environmental rules more effectively, he said. If necessary, the regulations can be further amended in the future.