In 1946, Ferrier was one of the founding members of the National Party of Suriname. Ferrier was a member of the National Council from 1946 until 1948. He then went to Amsterdam in the Netherlands to learn education theory. When he went back to Suriname, which had by then become an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, he continued to study and to have a career in education. He served as both prime minister and interior minister for a three-year period from 1955 until 1958. He also spent time as Suriname's head of education. From 1968 until 1975 he retained the post of governor. At this stage Suriname was made independent. Ferrier was selected as president of the country. Dési Bouterse's 1980 coup d'état prompted Ferrier to resign within six months.