BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, CMC – St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew will lead a Caribbean Community (CARICOM) delegation to the official funeral of former Suriname President, Chandrikapersad” Chan” Santokhi, who died last week at the age of 67 years.
The funeral will take place on Tuesday.
According to an official statement here, the presence of the delegation headed by Prime Minister Drew, who is also the CARICOM chairman, “underscores the deep bonds of solidarity within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), as regional leaders gather to pay their final respects to a distinguished statesman who served his country and the wider Caribbean with dedication”.
Last week, the Suriname government said the former president’s cremation will be held at Stichting De Olifant, followed by cremation at Uitkijk in the Saramacca district.
The government has also announced that a book of condolences has been opened at the Presidential Palace, allowing the public to express their sympathy.
Additionally, Monday and Tuesday have been declared days of national mourning with the flag being “flown at half-mast to commemorate the passing of the former president in a fitting manner”.
Santokhi, the chairman of the main opposition Progressive Reform Party (VHP), died on Monday at the Academic Hospital in the capital, where he had been taken after falling ill at home.
He had served as Suriname’s ninth head of state from 2020 to 2025. Following the May 2025 general election, Santokhi returned to the Parliament as Leader of the Opposition.
“His many years of service in various public offices will be remembered,” President Jennifer Greelings-Simons said in a statement, as she honored Santokhi, who previously served the country as Minister of Justice and Police from 2005 to 2010.
The statement said that following the official engagements in Suriname, Prime Minister Drew will travel to Guyana for “high-level bilateral” meetings with President Irfaan Ali, and that the two leaders will sign several Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) to strengthen cooperation between St. Kitts and Nevis and Guyana.
“The agreements are expected to be anchored on seven strategic pillars, reflecting a comprehensive and forward-looking approach to partnership. Central among these is food security, as both nations seek to enhance agricultural production, reduce food import dependency, and build greater resilience in the face of global supply chain challenges,” the statement added.
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