President Irfaan Ali yesterday said the only proposal before the Government of Guyana for the planned Corentyne River bridge remains a jointly developed project with Suriname.
His response came in the wake of reports that Suriname intends to finance the bridge on its own.
Speaking with reporters on the sidelines of the swearing-in ceremony for six Puisne Judges at the Office of the President, Ali said no official request has been made to Guyana regarding any alternative arrangement.
“The Corentyne Bridge is a bridge that is being discussed jointly as a joint project by the Government of Guyana and the Government of Suriname, and that is how it will be,” the President said.
Asked why Guyana would not agree to Suriname proceeding with the bridge regardless of whether it was a joint project, Ali maintained that Georgetown’s position has not changed.
“Guyana is interested in being part of a project that covers two sovereign states in a joint plan. That has always been our position,” he stated.
Ali stressed that the government has received no official communication suggesting a departure from that arrangement.
“There is no other position that is before me. There is no other official request that is before me,” he said.
“If any other request is made, then at that time I will be in a position to pronounce on it, and you can rest assured that I will pronounce decisively on it.”
His comments come after Suriname’s Minister of Public Works and Spatial Planning, Stephen Tsang, told that country’s National Assembly that the Surinamese government has decided to finance the bridge entirely on its own.
According to Suriname’s Star Niews, Tsang said the government had decided to “self-finance the bridge one hundred percent” and that, depending on the financing model ultimately chosen, a new tender process would likely be required. He also declared that “it must and will be a Surinamese bridge.”
The reported announcement marks a significant departure from previous discussions between Georgetown and Paramaribo, which had centred on a jointly financed and jointly implemented project. It also raises questions over the future of agreements reached between the two countries and how any unilateral approach would address longstanding issues surrounding jurisdiction and sovereignty over the Corentyne River.
On September 13 last year, President Ali and the President of Suriname, Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, met in Nickerie and agreed to establish a bilateral coordinating group that would address outstanding issues relating to making a bridge across the Corentyne River a reality during their tenure, Stabroek News had reported.
“Key to all of this is the integration of our infrastructure and that is why we had talks also on the bridge across the Corentyne River. Both of us, Madam President and I, have expressed commitment from both governments in having this signature project completed. As a result, there will be timely advancement of this project, recognising the transformational role it can play for tourism, trade connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges,” President Ali stated during his address at what was described as a joint press conference following the meeting held in Nickerie, the district where the Guyana/Suriname ferry docks in the east.
“We have agreed to have a specific coordinating group look at addressing all outstanding issues; technical, financial, legal issues, so that we can advance this project in an efficient manner,” he added.
“We have discussed the bridge; the Corentyne Bridge, and indicated that both countries want it,” she said.
She added, “You know that we have indicated since 2010, that we want the bridge, but that we, on our side, are still evaluating and inventorising the various technical, financial and legal matters. Things that we did not have yet. We have agreed that as soon as we have that, we will continue to implement this initiative, in a way that is clear and transparent for us.”
Ali was also questioned yesterday about reports that ferry operators using the Corentyne River were facing difficulties.
He said neither the government nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had received any recent complaints from river users.
“I have not received any complaint from any of the operators of the river on any challenge… I have confirmed this also with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” the President said.
The proposed Corentyne River bridge has long been viewed as a transformative infrastructure project expected to strengthen trade, tourism and transportation links between Guyana and Suriname by replacing the existing ferry service between South Drain and Moleson Creek.
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