Jogi: “Ten years of NDP mismanagement cannot be turned into clean drinking water in just five years”
- Johny Griffith
- 23 hours ago
- 2 min read
VHP parliamentarian Mahinder Jogi has sharply criticized President Jennifer Simons, arguing that she refuses to acknowledge the scale of the economic and institutional damage left behind by ten years of NDP rule. According to Jogi, no administration — including the Santokhi/Brunswijk government — could have transformed that “political mud pool” into “a glass of clean drinking water” within a single five‑year term.
Speaking in a recent interview with TBN Prime Alert, Jogi said the president should be honest about the situation the country was in when the previous government took office.
Subsidies: removed under Santokhi, restored under Simons
Jogi pointed to the subsidy system as a key example. He argued that the Santokhi/Brunswijk administration reduced subsidies to stabilize state finances, while the current Simons/Rusland government is now reversing that policy.
One of the most striking examples, he said, is the fuel subsidy, which he claims now costs the state 300 million SRD per month. According to him, that money could have been invested in infrastructure projects such as the Van ’t Hogerhuysstraat, the East‑West Highway, or targeted support for low‑income households.
Jogi said this shows a return to the same policy style that, in his view, repeatedly harmed the country during previous NDP administrations.
VES: budget deficit higher than presented
The Association of Economists in Suriname (VES) recently stated that the government’s projected budget deficit for 2026 is not 5.1% of GDP, as officially presented, but 7.7%. For Jogi, this is further proof of what he calls the NDP’s “bat‑like behavior” — shifting positions and inconsistent messaging.
He also noted that the current government has borrowed nearly USD 2 billion in less than a year. By comparison, he said, the Santokhi administration borrowed USD 2 billion over five years, of which USD 1 billion was repaid. When Simons took office, the national debt was under USD 3.5 billion; according to Jogi, it is now approaching USD 5 billion.
Institutional safeguards weakened
Jogi accused the government of dismantling the institutional reforms that were introduced under IMF guidance. He cited several examples:
The Comptabiliteitswet (Public Accounting Law) is being bypassed
No savings requirement
No stabilization requirement
Reduced oversight and financial discipline
According to him, this signals a return to “living day by day without planning.”
“Governing based on how you wake up”
Jogi ended with a sharp critique of President Simons’ leadership style. He claimed the government lacks a coherent plan and instead makes decisions impulsively.
“Today I wake up and decide what I will do. Tomorrow I wake up and decide what I will do tomorrow,” he said, describing what he believes is the current governing approach.
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