The renewed agreement between Justice and Security, the Suriname Police Force and Newmont regulates support for policing around Merian and Sabajo. Newmont will provide facilities and US$ 8,400 per month, while the police remain independently responsible for their operations.
Minister Harish Monorath of Justice and Security signed a renewed MOU with Newmont on Friday, August 28, 2026. The agreement is intended to support policing and the maintenance of public order and safety in and around the Merian and Sabajo mining sites in southeastern Suriname. The new arrangements will take effect on September 1, 2026, and will remain in force for a period of three years.
In addition to Monorath, Police Commissioner Melvin Pinas of the Suriname Police Force (KPS) and Clinton Van Der Westhuizen, Interim General Manager of Newmont Suriname, LLC, signed the agreement. The arrangements continue the existing cooperation, but within a renewed framework that also establishes the responsibilities of the parties involved.
The Merian and Sabajo sites are located in remote parts of the interior where public infrastructure is limited. According to the agreement, additional support is therefore needed to deploy police officers in the area. Newmont will provide both financial and material support to enable the performance of police duties in these areas.
MOU with Newmont establishes police independence
An important part of the MOU with Newmont is the provision that the mining company will have no authority over the operations of the KPS. Newmont may not issue orders or directives to police officers. Nor does the company determine which investigative activities are carried out or how the police should respond to incidents in the area.
The police will continue to operate within their own command structure and under applicable Surinamese legislation. In investigations and enforcement, the KPS must also comply with the general investigation and prosecution policy of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The agreement also refers to international guidelines on security and human rights. More information about the approach to security and human rights around the Merian operation is available through Newmont’s official information on Merian.
Newmont provides financial support to the police, but has no authority over the performance of police duties.
US$ 8,400 per month for policing
The financial support is specifically included in the agreement. Newmont will make US$ 8,400 available each month. The amount will be paid in Surinamese dollars based on the exchange rate quoted by the Central Bank of Suriname. The support is intended to contribute to the presence and deployability of police officers in the area around Merian and Sabajo.
In addition to this monthly contribution, the MOU with Newmont also provides for support in kind. The company may contribute to fuel, maintenance and other facilities necessary for police operations in the remote area. According to the government, the arrangements are intended to reduce practical limitations on police deployment.
New agreement applies for a period of 3 years
The renewed agreement will officially take effect on September 1, 2026 and will remain valid for three years. It replaces the previous MOU, which entered into force on September 1, 2023. That agreement was amended on December 27, 2024. The new arrangements therefore form the current framework within which Newmont may provide support for policing.
Through the Merian gold mine, Newmont plays an important role in Suriname’s mining sector. Key News recently also reported on the economic contribution of the Merian operation to Suriname as reported by the company. More background can be found in the article on Newmont’s economic contribution to Suriname.
MOU with Newmont also requires clear accountability
Financial support from a private mining company to a public security service makes a clear delineation of authority important. The agreement therefore explicitly states that responsibility for police duties remains entirely with the KPS. Police officers deployed in the area remain under the authority of their own leadership and must carry out their work in accordance with applicable legal regulations.
The reference to the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights is also important in this regard. These international principles were developed for companies in sectors including mining that cooperate with public and private security services. They are intended to ensure that security measures are carried out with respect for human rights and within clearly defined responsibilities.
The renewed MOU with Newmont is intended to give the police greater opportunities to maintain a presence in a difficult-to-reach part of Suriname, without allowing the funding company to influence the performance of police duties. For society, it remains important that, throughout the agreement’s term, it is made clear how the financial and material support is used and how the independence of police operations is monitored.
