PARAMARIBO, Suriname – The Democratic Platform Suriname (DPS), which is based on the Winti, an Afro-Surinamese traditional religion that originated in Suriname, says it will be contesting the May 25, 2025 general election.
Chairman of the Democratic Platform Suriname, Ramon Mac-NackAlthough the principal religion in Suriname is Christianity, Winti is a synchronization of the different African religious beliefs and practices brought in mainly by enslaved Akan, Fon and Kongo people during the Dutch slave trade.
The religion has no written sources, nor a central authority, and it has a shared foundation based on three principles: the belief in a supreme creator , the belief in spirits (Winti) and the practice of honouring ancestors.
“The DPS is guided by a Winti religious foundation, which forces us to uphold standards and values,” said DPS chairman ‘Tap Basi’ Ramon Mac-Nack.
“Because of the divine that guides us, we put sincerity and honesty first. Suriname is currently facing many challenges while trust in the country’s government is declining more and more. Our political party is committed to realizing our vision and plans of action through effective and honest leadership,” he added.
He dismissed suggestions that the party is yet another “newbie” small party participating in the elections, saying the party expects to win seats in the National Assembly.
“We are pure in spirit and have a big heart. That makes us unique. We work quietly behind the scenes and success will make a noise,” said Mac-Nack, adding that the policies of the party will be on fighting poverty, reducing bureaucracy and the establishment of a Ministry of Youth, Culture, Religion and Sports.
The party said that it will also strongly advocate for more visibility and acceptance of the Winti religion and is open to collaborations with other political entities.
“We are tired of a leadership with the mentality of bad, worse to worst. DPS wants to bring about change with a management mentality of good, better, best. As a political party, we look ahead to countries and politicians who do better. We work with friendly nations who want to help us and help us move forward,” he added.
