Suriname to launch biometric enabled passports

Suriname's National Assembly has passed legislation allowing the issuance of new biometric passports. Foreign Affairs Minister Albert Ramdin and Home Affairs Minister Bronto Somohardjo stated that the new passports would be much more secure as well as fraud-resistant.

The government had called for a debate on the issuance of the biometric passports; however, numerous opposition members declined to participate, alleging that they did not agree with how President Chandrikapersad "Chan" Santokhi's government handled the flooding situation in the country's south.

Following St Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica, Suriname becomes the fourth Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country to issue biometric passports.

During the parliamentary session, Annand Jagesar, the CEO of Staatsolie, answered concerns from legislators, stating that the house has sufficient capability to solve the flooding problem and that Staatsolie has vowed to assist all people affected.

He also requested that the government investigate whether the travel document could be made after parliamentarians highlighted that Suriname's identification cards are produced by the Serbian company Vlatacom.

Existing biometric data from the Central Bureau for Civil Affairs will be used to prepare the new passports for distribution, according to the administration.

As per authorities, with the issuance of the new biometric passports, travellers would be processed more quickly as a result of the new travel document, according to Kishan Ramsukul, Chairman of the Committee of Rapporteurs.