CASTRIES, St. Lucia - Suriname’s President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons Tuesday said that Guyana had been advised as early as February this year of her country’s decision to finance the construction of the Corentyne River bridge on its own.
Suriname President, Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, speaking to CMC on the sidelines of the CARICOM summit in St. Lucia (CMC Photo)“We didn’t decide it now, we informed the President of Guyana (Dr. Irfaan Ali) in St. Kitts,” Geerlings-Simons told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) adding “yes we had a bilateral”.
Asked how would Paramaribo be financing the project, she replied “we will …don’t worry.”
Late last month, President Ali had described as “news to me” reports out of Suriname that the government in the neighbouring Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country was moving towards financing the construction of a bridge over the Corantijn River despite earlier agreements that the project would be undertaken in collaboration with Guyana.
Earlier estimates had put the construction of the bridge at US$300 million. In September last year, Suriname and Guyana had agreed to accelerate the construction of the bridge and to revive stalled border negotiations.
Suriname’s Public Works and Spatial Planning Minister, Stephen Tsang, had told the National Assembly late last month of the new initiative regarding the financing of the multi-million-dollar project.
The Corantijn Bridge is considered one of the most important infrastructure projects for the further economic integration of Suriname and Guyana and it is intended to replace the current ferry connection between South Drain and Moleson Creek while significantly facilitating the movement of goods and passengers between the two countries.
Under the previous Santokhi government, the project was prepared in close cooperation with Guyana.
Tsang did not address the consequences of the position of the Suriname government nor did he announce when any potential new tender will take place during his participation in the budget debate.
“The government has decided to finance the bridge 100 per cent,” Tsang said as he responded to questions from legislators during the budget debate, adding that, depending on the chosen financing structure, a new tendering procedure will likely be necessary.
He told legislators that various financing models are still being investigated, including the possibility of toll collection.
“Several models have been discussed, including regarding toll collection. Everything is still open. All models are being reviewed together with the Ministry of Finance,” said Tsang, adding “the fact is that it must and will be a Surinamese bridge.”
Guyana’s Foreign Minister Hugh Todd was due to meet with his Suriname’s counterpart, Melvin Bouva, on the sidelines of the CARICOM summit now underway here, but he told CMC that the meeting had not yet taken place and referred to a statement issued by Georgetown last weekend.
In the statement, Guyana said it “has taken note of the statement” issued by Suriname regarding the proposed bridge across the Corentyne River, noting that “from the inception of this initiative, the bridge has been conceived as a joint project.
“Given its cross-border character, it has always been understood by both Governments that the planning, financing, construction, operation, and management of the bridge would be matters for joint consideration and agreement.”
Georgetown said that the statement issued by Suriname acknowledges that the Joint Technical Working Group has been mandated to continue discussions on the financial, technical, and operational aspects of the project.
“This is itself confirmation that financing has always been recognized as a matter requiring joint deliberation and agreement, rather than a unilateral determination by either Party,” it said.
The lengthy statement said that “Guyana remains firmly committed to the realization of the Corentyne River Bridge and continues to believe that the project should proceed on the basis of transparency, mutual respect, consultation, and decisions reached jointly by both Governments.
“The Government of Guyana stands ready to continue discussions in good faith through the agreed bilateral mechanisms with a view to advancing this transformational project for the benefit of the peoples of Guyana and Suriname.”
