Nation votes for new government to steer oil windfall

Citizens of Suriname yesterday voted in parliamentary elections that will determine who will be in charge of harnessing its giant oil wealth to carry out a rags-to-riches transformation of the nation.

- 

The smallest country in South America — and the only one with Dutch as its official language — is battling high debt, rampant inflation and poverty affecting nearly one in five of its 600,000 inhabitants.

But recent offshore crude discoveries suggest this may all be about to change.

“It will be a huge amount of income for the country,” incumbent President Chan Santokhi told this week. “We are now able... to do more for our people so that everyone can be part of the growth of the nation.”

Yesterday, Surinamese voted to elect a new parliament of 51 members, who within weeks must choose a new president and vice-president for a five-year term.

Mr Santokhi is constitutionally eligible for a second term, but with no single party in a clear lead, pollsters are not picking any favourites.