Constitution

Suriname 1987 Constitution (reviewed 1992)

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Table of Contents

CHAPTER XI. THE LEGISLATURE

First Section. EXERCISE OF LEGISLATIVE POWERS

Article 69

The Legislator, the Government and the other organs of government shall respect the rules of the Constitution.

Article 70

The Legislative Power shall be exercised jointly by the National Assembly and the Government.

Second Section. POWERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Article 71

  1. The National Assembly shall have the power to decide over all proposals of law that will be submitted before it for approval.
  2. The National Assembly shall have the power to decide by 2/3 majority on the organization of a People’s Assembly or a plebiscite in those cases deemed necessary by the National Assembly, without prejudice to the provisions of Article 179, paragraph 2.
  3. The National Assembly lays down its own standing order. These standing orders, in which rules of procedure for the People’s Assembly shall be included, will be promulgated by state decree.

Article 72

Without prejudice to what is reserved elsewhere in the Constitution for regulation by law, the following subjects shall certainly be determined by law:

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  1. Treaties, subject to what is determined in article 104;
  2. The amending of the Constitution;
  3. The declaration or the termination of the state of war, the civil or military state of emergency
  4. The determination and change of the political-administrative partitioning of the Republic of Suriname;
  5. The determination of the extent and boundaries of the territorial waters and the rights of the Republic of Suriname to the adjacent continental shelf and the economic zone;
  6. The creation of a development council for national development;
  7. The granting of amnesty or pardon.

Article 73

The socio-economic and political policy to be followed by the Government shall be previously approved by the National Assembly.

Article 74. EXECUTIVE TASKS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

The National Assembly has the following executive tasks:

  1. The election of the President and the Vice-President;
  2. The proposal for nomination to the President of the chairman and vice- chairman, the members and the surrogate members of the organ charged with the supervision and control of the expenditure of the state finances;
  3. Placing the nominations of the members of the Constitutional Court and their appointed deputies to the President;
  4. Appointing, suspending and discharging the clerk of the Assembly;
  5. Organizing any People’s Assembly.

Third Section. LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE RIGHTS OF AMENDMENT INITIATIVE, INTERROGATION AND INVESTIGATION

Article 75

  1. The President introduces the proposals of law or other Government proposals before the National Assembly in a written message.
  2. Public debate on any received Government proposal shall always be preceded by an examination of that proposal.
  3. The National Assembly shall determine in its Rules of Order the manner in which such examination shall be made.

Article 76

The National Assembly shall have the right of amend bills proposed by the Government.

Article 77

  1. If the National Assembly resolves to pass the proposal either unchanged or changed, it shall notify the President thereof.
  2. If the National Assembly resolves not to pass the proposal it shall also give notice thereof to the President, with the request to review the bill more thoroughly. As long as the National Assembly has not taken a decision, the President shall have the right to withdraw the bill which he has submitted.

Article 78

Every member to the National Assembly shall have the right to introduce proposals of law to the National Assembly.

Article 79

The National Assembly shall have the right of examination, that is to be regulated by law.

Article 80

  1. All bills passed by the National Assembly and approved by the President shall acquire force of law after promulgation.
  2. The laws shall be inviolable, subject to the provisions of Articles 106, 137 and 144, paragraph 2.

Fourth Section. PROCEDURE

Article 81

Annually, and at the latest on the first working day of October, the President shall address the National Assembly on the policy to be followed by the Government.

Article 82

All meetings of the National Assembly shall be held in public, except in special cases when it decides to convene behind closed doors.

Article 83

  1. The National Assembly may not commence deliberation or take decisions if no more than one half its members are present.
  2. All decisions of the National Assembly shall be taken by a normal majority of votes, except for the provisions of paragraph 3 of the present Article, and of Article 60, Article 70 [paragraph 2], and Article 84, paragraph 4.
  3. A majority of at least 2/3 of the constitutional number of members of the National Assembly shall be required for decisions concerning:
    1. The Amendment of the Constitution;
    2. The Amdendment of the electoral act insofar as it involves the subjects indicated in Article 60;
    3. The election of the President;
    4. The election of the Vice-President;
    5. The organization of a People’s Assembly, subject to the provisions of Article 181, paragraph 2;
    6. The organization of a plebiscite.

Article 84

  1. In the event of an equality of votes at a meeting attended by all who are at that moment members of the National Assembly, the motion shall be considered as having been defeated.
  2. In the event of an equality of votes at a meeting not attended by all those who are at the moment members of the National Assembly, the motion shall be postponed until a subsequent meeting. The motion shall be considered as having been defeated in the event of an equality in such meeting.
  3. Voting shall be by roll-call if at least five members desire this and shall then be by word-of-mouth; however in case of the election or nomination of persons, voting shall be by secret and unsigned ballot.
  4. The meeting can decide by at least two thirds of the votes cast that a specific matter shall be voted by closed and unsigned voting papers.

Article 85

  1. The Government shall provide the National Assembly with the requested information either in writing or orally. It can be invited by the National Assembly to attend the meeting.
  2. The Government can attend meetings of the National Assembly as well as the People’s Assembly. It has an advisory vote in those meetings. It can be assisted in the meetings by experts.

Article 86

The law regulates the financial provisions for the benefit of the members and former members of the national Assembly and their surviving relatives.

Article 87

  1. The National Assembly appoints, suspends and discharges its clerk. The clerk may not at the same time be a member of the National Assembly.
  2. The law regulates his position.

Fifth Section. IMMUNITY

Article 88

The speaker, the members of the National Assembly, the Government and the experts referred to in article 85, paragraph (2), shall be exempt from criminal prosecution for anything they have said at the assembly or have submitted to it in writing, except that if in so doing they had made public what was said or submitted under obligation of secrecy in a closed meeting.

Article 89

The National Assembly is bound to inform the district councils in a manner to be laid down by law about decisions taken or viewpoints expressed that are of significance to their districts.

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