2012年-世界发展银行全球_Enterprise_Surveys___Suriname_Country_Profile_2010_15页_946kb

Suriname Country Profile 2010 Summary

Core Content Overview

This document presents the Suriname Country Profile 2010 based on data from the Enterprise Surveys conducted by the World Bank and its partner, the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The surveys focus on the business environment and firm performance across various sectors and firm sizes, comparing Suriname with its regional peers in Latin America & Caribbean and other lower middle-income countries.

Main Topics Covered

1. Business Environment Obstacles

• The business environment in Suriname is assessed through several key indicators.
• The top business constraints include:
  • Corruption and informal payments.
  • Regulatory and licensing inefficiencies.
  • Infrastructure shortcomings.
• These obstacles affect firm operations, increase costs, and hinder productivity and growth.

2. Average Firm Characteristics

• The average firm in Suriname has an age of 21.3 years.
• Female participation in top management is 15.0%, and in ownership is 18.3%.
• The majority of firms are privately owned (96.3%), with 3.7% being foreign-owned.
• Sole proprietorships dominate (49.6%), followed by closed shareholding companies (32.3%).

3. Infrastructure

• Electricity supply is a major issue, with 1.5 power outages per month and 0.6% of sales lost due to outages.
• Water shortages occur 5.3 times per month, with an average duration of 23.5 hours.
• Delays in obtaining electricity, water, and telephone connections are significant, affecting operational efficiency and increasing costs.

4. Trade

• 14.6% of firms engage in exports, with 52.1% using foreign material inputs.
• The average time to clear direct exports through customs is 12.6 days, while import clearance is not reported for Suriname.
• Theft during export causes 0.4% loss in sales, and breakage or spoilage causes 0.0% loss.

5. Regulations, Taxes, and Business Licensing

• The time spent by senior management dealing with regulations is 6.4%.
• The average number of meetings with tax officials is 1.7.
• Business licensing is a major burden, with 150.4 days required for construction-related permits.
• Open shareholding companies are rare in Suriname (0.0%), while closed shareholding companies are more common (32.3%).

6. Corruption

• The Graft Index in Suriname is 8.7, indicating that firms often face informal demands.
• 11.0% of firms expect to make informal payments to obtain a construction permit.
• Gifts are expected in meetings with tax inspectors (1.8%) and import licenses (0.0%).
• Government contracts rarely involve informal payments (0.0%).

7. Crime and Informality

• 57.3% of firms believe the court system is fair and impartial.
• Security costs account for 0.8% of sales, and theft-related losses are 0.3% of sales.
• 98.3% of firms are formally registered when they start operations, indicating a relatively low level of informality.

8. Finance

• Internal finance is the main source for investment, with 65.1% of firms relying on it.
• Bank finance accounts for 24.3% of investment.
• 43.8% of firms use external working capital.
• The value of collateral required for a loan is 149.5% of the loan amount, reflecting high financial barriers.

9. Innovation and Workforce

• 16.9% of firms hold internationally recognized quality certifications.
• 48.7% of firms have annual financial statements reviewed by external auditors.
• 11.0% of firms use their own website, and 58.5% use email for communication.
• The average number of temporary workers is 2.1, and permanent full-time workers is 28.5.
• 34.1% of firms have full-time female workers.

Key Findings and Insights

• Corruption is a significant issue in Suriname, particularly in the construction sector where 11.0% of firms expect informal payments.
• Infrastructure is a major constraint, with electricity and water shortages affecting operations and increasing costs.
• Regulatory inefficiencies are prevalent, with long delays in obtaining permits and licenses.
• Female participation in management and ownership is relatively low compared to regional averages, but not significantly different from other lower middle-income countries.
• Formal registration is high, suggesting a low level of informality.
• Financial services are underdeveloped, with high collateral requirements and limited access to external financing.

Comparison with Regional and Income Group Averages

• Suriname's corruption levels are lower than Latin America & Caribbean (LAC) and lower middle-income countries.
• Regulatory delays are more severe than LAC averages but similar to lower middle-income countries.
• Infrastructure performance is worse than LAC but better than lower middle-income countries.
• Female participation is slightly lower than LAC and similar to lower middle-income countries.
• Formal registration is higher than LAC and lower middle-income countries.
• Access to financial services is limited compared to regional and income group averages.

Conclusion

The Suriname Country Profile 2010 highlights the challenges faced by firms in navigating a complex and inefficient business environment, particularly in terms of corruption, infrastructure, and regulatory processes. While female participation and formal registration are relatively strong, access to external financing and use of modern technologies remain limited. These findings underscore the need for reforms in governance, infrastructure, and financial systems to improve the business environment and promote sustainable economic growth.