States of America. “This is no ordinary service. We open up a new chapter in the relations between the government of Suriname and its citizens abroad. With faith in our people, our institutes and the future of our republic I am therefore honored to officially launch this important service”. said President Jennifer Simons last Wednesday. The Surinamese head of state who launched the service in the presence of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Collaboration Minister Melvin Bouva, representatives from VFS Global and members of the Surinamese  diaspora emphasized the importance of this project which puts a step forward in the way Suriname serves its citizens abroad. She explained that “the world is changing”. “Our people are becoming more mobile and our communities are spread out over various countries and continents. Governments must therefore be prepared to adapt, modernize and improve their services”, said President Simons. “Today we start here in New York but our ambition reaches further. Step by step we will further strengthen the access to government services for Surinamese nationals who are abroad.” The Surinamese head of state thanked the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs, Vlatacom, VFS Global, government officials, technical teams and the diplomatic and consular representatives who contributed to the launch of the  Suriname Passport Application Services in New York.