Chan Santokhi
Ramdien Sardjoe | |
---|---|
Member of the National Assembly | |
In office 12 August 2010 – 16 July 2020 | |
Constituency | Wanica District |
Minister of Justice and Police | |
In office 1 September 2005 – 13 August 2010 | |
President | Ronald Venetiaan |
Preceded by | Siegfried Gilds |
Succeeded by | Lamuré Latour (ad interim) Martin Misiedjan |
Chairman of the Caribbean Community | |
In office 1 July 2022[1] – 31 December 2022 | |
Secretary-General | Carla Barnett |
Preceded by | Johnny Briceño[1] |
Succeeded by | Philip Davis |
Personal details | |
Born | Chandrikapersad Santokhi 3 February 1959 Lelydorp, Suriname District, Suriname (present-day Wanica District, Suriname) |
Political party | Progressive Reform Party |
Spouse(s) |
1 previous wife |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | Nederlandse Politieacademie, Apeldoorn (BS) |
Awards | Honorary Order of the Yellow Star (2010)[2] Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (2023) |
Nickname | Sheriff |
Chandrikapersad "Chan" Santokhi (Sarnami: चंद्रिकापेर्साद सांतोखी; Hindi pronunciation: [cⁿdrikɑːpərəsɑːdə sⁿtoːkʰiː]; Dutch: [cɑnˈdrikaːpɛrˌsɑt sɑnˈtɔki]; born 3 February 1959) is a Surinamese politician and former police officer who is the 9th president of Suriname, since 2020. After winning the 2020 elections, Santokhi was the sole nominee for president of Suriname. On 13 July, Santokhi was elected president by acclamation in an uncontested election. He was inaugurated on 16 July.[3]
Early life
Chandrikapersad Santokhi was born on 3 February 1959, into an
Career
Police career
After Santokhi obtained his
Minister of Justice
In September, 2005, Santokhi was sworn in as Minister of Justice and Police on behalf of the
December murders trial
Santokhi who, as police commissioner, led the investigation of the December murders done at the start of his ministership so that the December murders trial could finally commence. Exclusive for the December murders trial he had a heavily secured courtroom built in Domburg, Wanica.[8] Because Santokhi was the impulse behind the trial, he became a much discussed matter of the main suspect in that trial,
On 10 September 2008, Santokhi sued Bouterse for insult,
2010 general election
In the 2010 Surinamese general election, Santokhi received the highest number of votes after Dési Bouterse, despite being placed relatively low on the party list of the Progressive Reform Party.[15] In July of that year, he was appointed as presidential candidate on behalf of the ruling political alliance New Front for Democracy and Development. Santokhi's opponent in the presidential elections was Dési Bouterse. Since Bouterse (NDP) cooperated with Ronnie Brunswijk (ABOP) and Paul Somohardjo (PL), his political alliance had a total of 36 seats, while the New Front only had fourteen.[16] Consequently, Bouterse was elected the eighth President of Suriname.[17]
President of CICAD
Santokhi, who for fifteen years was the official representative of the
Chairman of the Progressive Reform Party
On 3 July 2011, Santokhi was elected as chairman of the Vooruitstrevende Hervormings Partij (VHP) (Progressive Reform Party). The Progressive Reform Party, which was once an Indo-Surinamese party, has grown, since the appointment of Santokhi as chairman, into a multi-ethnical party which, according to current statistics, is the second-biggest political party in Suriname.[20] With eight seats in the parliament, the VHP was the biggest opposition party until 2020.[21]
President of Suriname
On 26 May 2020, the preliminary results of the
In September 2021, Santokhi visited the Netherlands and became the first Surinamese president to do so since 2008, after diplomatic relations between the two countries had cooled down. Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte referred to the rapprochement as "historic".[33]
Personal life
On 19 July 2020, Chan Santokhi married his long-term partner, Mellisa Seenacherry. The marriage took place in a private ceremony.[34] Mellisa is a lawyer by profession.[35] He also has two adult children (a daughter and a son) from a previous marriage.[36]
References
- ^ a b Rotation schedule caricom.org [dead link]
- ^ "H.E. Chandrikapersad Santokhi". Archived from the original on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ a b "Live blog: Inauguratie president en vicepresident". De Ware Tijd (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
- ^ Wagenaar, Leonoor (1 December 2006). "Crimefighter met lef". Parbode (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 4 January 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
- ^ "Chandrikapersad Santokhi (Den Haag)". NTR PREMTIME (in Dutch). 26 September 2011. Archived from the original on 26 January 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
- ^ "De meest bedreigde man van Suriname". de Volkskrant (in Dutch).
- ^ "Moet Bouterse bang zijn voor Chan de Sheriff?". De Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- ^ "Proces Decembermoorden wordt hervat". Nederlands Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- ^ "Bouterse bedreigt minister van Justitie Santokhi". de Volkskrant.
- ^ "Breaking News: Twintig jaar cel voor Bouterse". Suriname Herald (in Dutch). Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ "Overwinning oppositie in Suriname betekent einde tijdperk Bouterse". Elsevier Weekblad (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 20 August 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- ^ "Kortgeding Santokhi tegen Bouterse". Waterkant (in Dutch). 10 September 2008. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ "Bouterse tekent beroep aan tegen vonnis". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ "Bouterse plaatst rectificatie in De West". Waterkant (in Dutch). Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ "Aangeboden Chan Santokhi: leiderschap in een nieuwe politieke werkelijkheid". Nieuws Suriname (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 May 2020.
- ^ "Bouterse en Brunswijk willen Suriname regeren". Waterkant (in Dutch). 7 July 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ "Suriname election: Convicted murderer Dési Bouterse is replaced by ex-police chief". BBC News. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
- ^ "Breaking news: Santokhi gekozen tot CICAD-voorzitter". Starnieuws. 6 December 2011.
- ^ "Santokhi voorzitter inter-amerikaanse drugsbestrijding". rnw.nl. Archived from the original on 9 December 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
- ^ http://www.dewest-online.com/?p=15457 VHP groeit sinds aantreden Santokhi, De West 13/01/2012
- ^ "VHP: alle corruptiezaken in Suriname vervolgen". Waterkant.net (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- ^ "VHP grote winnaar verkiezingen 25 mei 2020". GFC Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- ^ "Breaking: Santokhi president en Brunswijk DNA-voorzitter". Star Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Chan Santokhi voorgedragen als presidentskandidaat". Suriname Herald (in Dutch). Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- ^ "Santokhi en Brunswijk kandidaat president en vicepresident". De Ware Tijd (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 7 July 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
- ^ "Live blog: Verkiezing president en vicepresident Suriname". De Ware Tijd (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
- ^ "Kandidaatstelling Santokhi en Brunswijk een feit". Star Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Breaking: NDP dient geen lijst in". Dagblad Suriname (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Inauguratie nieuwe president van Suriname op Onafhankelijkheidsplein". Waterkant (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 July 2020.
- ^ "Suriname elects Indian-origin 'Chan' Santokhi as President". currentaffairs.adda247.com. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
- ^ "Chan Santokhi is de nieuwe President van Suriname". Radio Tamara (in Dutch). Retrieved 28 September 2020.
- ^ "Live blog: Inauguratie president en vicepresident". De Ware Tijd (in Dutch). Retrieved 28 September 2020.
- ^ "Waarom het bezoek van de Surinaamse president aan Nederland historisch is". Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 September 2021.
- ^ "President Santokhi en partner Mellisa trouwen vandaag". Star Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ^ "President Santokhi en partner Mellisa in het huwelijksbootje gestapt". Suriname Herald (in Dutch). Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- ISBN 978-94-028-1728-7.