Richano Santokhi, son of the former president, gave an emotional response when he was approached by the media. “It is of course a painful moment. I just got here. I want to offer everybody my condolences,” said Richano who added that the loss weighs heavy on him and that nobody has expected it. Richano pointed out that his father had done a lot for Suriname. He revealed that he had spoken to his father personally two days before his death. “He visited me at my house. We had close contact the last couple of days. He was not sick, not at all. I spoke to the physician. I was told that it had something to do with his heart but I do not know if he had a heart attack. He had no history of heart problems. He is no longer with us physically but I think that his ideology lives on. The law and justice: all the things he constantly repeated. The big man of justice. Suriname still has much to do. My father laid the foundation. There are others who can give their strength and capacity.”

Ramdien Sardjoe, former chairman and honorary chairman of the VHP, also expressed shock at the news of the passing of Santokhi. “I received the shocking news an hour or so ago. It is sad. We have lost a strong leader. A strong leader for the party. But also for the nation,” said Sardjoe who added that Santokhi made a significant contribution to the development of the nation. “He was a role model as he stood for collaboration between all ethnic groups and all of the parties of the Surinamese nation. He delivered the presidency to the party and played an important role for our nation,” said Sardjoe who is a former vice president of the Republic of Suriname. Sardjoe pointed out that Santokhi ruled the country in a period of economic difficulties.

“He got us through the economic recession. The measures that he took in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were not only in the interest of the individual citizen or the party but also in the interest of the entire nation.” Sardjoe pointed out that life and death are in God’s hands. “We must accept that. I hope that the family, the divisions of the party and the entire Surinamese nation will be able to process this loss and that they will also appreciate his contribution better,” said Sardjoe.