A group of parliamentarians on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, submitted an interpellation proposal to De Nationale Assemblée (DNA, Suriname’s parliament), asking the government to clarify possible irregularities in the operations and decision-making within the Telecommunicatie Autoriteit Suriname (TAS). The initiators seek clarity, among other things, on financial transactions, the powers of the former management and work that TAS employees are alleged to have carried out for the Kabinet van de Vicepresident.
The interpellation proposal, registered with DNA under agenda number 2068/26, contains twelve considerations in which the parliamentarians express their concerns about the functioning of the telecommunications sector regulator. They believe the government must provide full disclosure on how decisions were made within TAS, financial obligations were entered into and public funds were spent.
Questions about financial management between 2021 and 2025
An important part of the proposal concerns the legality and financial management of TAS during the period from 2021 through 2025. The parliamentarians want to know on what legal basis decisions and agreements were founded and what responsibilities rested with the management at the time and the Raad van Toezicht (RvT, Supervisory Board).
They also call for access to annual accounts, financial accountability documents, audit findings and relevant board decisions. According to the initiators, it must be possible to establish whether TAS funds were spent in a lawful, efficient and verifiable manner.
In addition, they request transparency on payments to third parties, external assignments, staff compensation and possible payments for services whose actual delivery or execution is in question.
Employment contract of former director again brought to attention
The employment contract concluded with the former TAS director in November 2021 is also receiving special attention.
The parliamentarians want clarity on how this agreement came about, particularly regarding the authority and legal basis on which the former president-commissioner signed the document.
This issue concerns the administrative responsibilities within TAS and the question of whether the applicable procedures and divisions of authority were observed when entering into agreements.
Work for Kabinet van de Vicepresident
Notably, the interpellation proposal also raises questions about work that TAS employees are alleged to have carried out for the Kabinet van de Vicepresident.
The parliamentarians want to know the nature and scope of this work, how it was financed and on what legal basis it took place.
They also believe it must be established whether such work was compatible with TAS’s statutory duties as an independent regulator of the telecommunications sector.
The proposal provides no further details about the employees involved, the work performed or any financial amounts.
Independence and integrity of TAS
The initiators emphasise that TAS, as a statutory regulator, bears an essential responsibility for regulating the telecommunications sector, promoting fair competition and ensuring a transparent and reliable telecommunications market.
According to the parliamentarians, uncertainties about supervision, the division of powers and compliance with internal decision-making procedures could undermine confidence in the organisation’s independence and integrity.
They state that it is unacceptable for serious questions about the functioning of a public regulator to remain unanswered, especially because TAS supervises a sector of strategic national importance.
Government must provide full disclosure
With the interpellation proposal, the DNA members seek to ensure that the government appears before parliament as soon as possible to provide full information on possible shortcomings in the operations and decision-making within the Raad van Toezicht of TAS.
According to the submitters, full disclosure is necessary to restore public confidence. In doing so, they point to the importance of verifiable facts, clear administrative responsibilities and, where warranted, appropriate corrective and employment-status measures.
The proposal must still be considered and approved by De Nationale Assemblée before the government can formally be invited in connection with the proposed interpellation. The interpellation proposal was submitted under the leadership of NDP parliamentary group leader Rabin Parmessar. Recognisable signatories also include representatives of the PL, BEP, A20 and NPS. According to reports, the initiative is supported by the coalition, including the ABOP parliamentary group. The identities of two signatories could not yet be established with certainty on the basis of the available signatures.
With this initiative, attention to TAS is broadened from the legal discussion surrounding the former director to financial management, internal oversight and administrative accountability over several years.
