Chan Santokhi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chan Santokhi
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| चान संतोखी | |
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Official portrait, 2020
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| 9th President of Suriname | |
| Assumed office 16 July 2020 |
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| Vice President | Ronnie Brunswijk |
| Preceded by | Dési Bouterse |
| Leader of the Progressive Reform Party | |
| Assumed office 3 July 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Ramdien Sardjoe |
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office 12 August 2010 – 16 July 2020 |
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| Constituency | Wanica District |
| Minister of Justice and Police | |
| In office 1 September 2005 – 13 August 2010 |
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| 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 – 31 December 2022 |
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| Secretary-General | Carla Barnett |
| Preceded by | Johnny Briceño |
| 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 |
| Spouses |
Unknown
(divorced)Mellisa Seenacherry
(m. 2020) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Nederlandse Politieacademie, Apeldoorn (BS) |
| Awards | Honorary Order of the Yellow Star (2010) Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (2023) |
| Nickname | Sheriff |
Chandrikapersad "Chan" Santokhi (born 3 February 1959) is a politician from Suriname. He used to be a police officer. Since 2020, he has been the 9th President of Suriname.
After winning the 2020 elections, Santokhi was the only person nominated to be president. On 13 July, he was chosen as president without anyone else running against him. This is called an uncontested election. He officially started his job on 16 July.
Contents
Early Life
Chandrikapersad Santokhi was born on 3 February 1959. He grew up in a Hindu family in Lelydorp, which is now in the Wanica District of Suriname. He was the youngest of nine children.
His father worked at the harbor in Paramaribo. His mother worked as a shop assistant in Lelydorp. He spent his childhood in the countryside.
Career
Police Work
After finishing high school in Paramaribo, Santokhi got a scholarship. This allowed him to study in the Netherlands. From 1978 to 1982, he went to the Police Academy in Apeldoorn.
He returned to Suriname in September 1982 to work for the police. At 23, he became a police inspector. In 1989, he became the head of the national criminal investigation department. By 1991, he was appointed commissioner of police.
Minister of Justice
In September 2005, Santokhi became the Minister of Justice and Police. He represented the Progressive Reform Party. During this time, he earned the nickname "sheriff".
Important Trial
As police commissioner, Santokhi led an important investigation. This work helped a major trial, known as the December murders trial, finally begin. He even had a special, secure courtroom built for it.
Because he pushed for this trial, he became a topic of discussion for the main person involved in the trial, Dési Bouterse. In 2019, the Court of Appeal made a decision in the trial.
Running for President
In the 2010 Surinamese general election, Santokhi received many votes. He was a candidate for president. His opponent was Dési Bouterse.
Bouterse's political group had more seats in parliament. Because of this, Bouterse was elected the eighth President of Suriname.
Leading a Drug Control Group
For 15 years, Santokhi was a representative for the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD). On 6 December 2010, he was chosen to be the president of this group for one year.
CICAD is a part of the Organization of American States. It helps coordinate drug policies in the Western Hemisphere. In 2009, Santokhi was also the vice-president of this organization.
Leading a Political Party
On 3 July 2011, Santokhi was elected as the chairman of the Vooruitstrevende Hervormings Partij (VHP). This party is also known as the Progressive Reform Party.
The VHP used to be mainly for people of Indo-Surinamese background. But since Santokhi became chairman, it has grown into a party that includes many different ethnic groups. It became the second-largest political party in Suriname.
Becoming President
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On 26 May 2020, early results from the 2020 Surinamese general election showed that the VHP was the biggest party. This meant Chan Santokhi was likely to become the ninth President of Suriname.
On 30 May, Chan Santokhi announced he wanted to be president. On 29 June, the VHP officially nominated him. On 7 July, a group of parties nominated Santokhi as President and Ronnie Brunswijk as Vice-President of Suriname.
Since no one else was nominated, Santokhi was elected president without a contest on 13 July. He officially started his job on 16 July. The ceremony took place in Paramaribo without a large crowd due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He took his oath by reciting Hindu Sanskrit prayers. Christian religious leaders also blessed his inauguration.
In September 2021, Santokhi visited the Netherlands. He was the first Surinamese president to visit since 2008. This visit helped improve the relationship between the two countries. The Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, called it "historic."
Personal Life
On 19 July 2020, Chan Santokhi married Mellisa Seenacherry. Their wedding was a private ceremony. Mellisa is a lawyer. Santokhi also has two adult children, a daughter and a son, from a previous marriage.
See also
In Spanish: Chan Santokhi para niños
