Baijah Mhango analyses the development cooperation between Suriname and Holland with focus on the  3.5 billion Dutch guilders of aid – the golden handshake, that was agreed upon Suriname’s independence in 1975. The book examines the backgrounds of Dutch aid, the relations between the Holland and Suriname, the development plans, the institutional aspects and the macro-economic context. The author concludes  that the Dutch aid had a negative impact, rather than contributing to sustainability and self-reliance of the Surinamese economy.