Saramacca River cyanide pollution sparks political criticism in Suriname

The political party PALU has criticized President Jennifer Simons and her administration for their handling of cyanide pollution and mass fish deaths in the Saramacca River. The party describes the situation as a ‘national disaster’ rather than a mere incident, arguing that the government's response—which involved holding Grassalco responsible and issuing a letter—is insufficient.

Reports of mass fish mortality first emerged in late June, yet it took over two months for the National Environmental Authority to provide clarity. It has since been confirmed that cyanide caused the deaths and that elevated concentrations of heavy metals have been detected, including in living fish. Consequently, residents near Moeroekreek and the area where it flows into the Saramacca River have been warned not to consume fish from the river.

PALU has criticized the administration for failing to issue broader warnings to downstream communities and for not addressing the risks to the coastal plain where the river meets the sea. Furthermore, the party questioned why there has been no mention of companies mining gold with cyanide under Grassalco's permission, nor any discussion regarding a potential ban on cyanide imports or stricter oversight of its use.