Suriname Minister acknowledges registration errors in social benefits

Suriname Minister of Social Affairs and Housing, Diana Pokie, has acknowledged that flaws in the registration system for social benefits have caused many individuals to disappear from the welfare system.

A significant issue involves children with disabilities whose benefits were terminated because their parents entered government service. Because children under 21 are often registered under their parents' names, a parent becoming a civil servant can trigger the removal of the child from the system. Assembly member Ronny Asabina raised these concerns, noting complaints from the interior regarding the impact on vulnerable groups.

Minister Pokie stated that the registration process is largely manual, leading to serious administrative deficiencies. In response, the government has decided to restructure the registration and re-registration of social services, particularly in the interior, and plans to outsource these tasks to external parties. Efforts to rectify errors are underway, with scheduled activities in the Brokopondo district to assist beneficiaries.