Two days after Suriname’s Minister of Public Works, Stephen Tsang, informed the Surinamese Parliament that the Corentyne River Bridge, connecting Guyana and Suriname, will be built solely by the Government of Suriname, the Guyana Government remains in the dark on the issue.

President Irfaan Ali told reporters today that Guyana has not received any formal correspondence from Suriname on the new development. The Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh has since dispatched a correspondence to the Surinamese Government on the matter.

President Ali said Guyana’s position remains the same – that the construction of the bridge across the Corentyne River – will be done jointly by both Governments.

“Our position is very clear, the Corentyne River 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,” President Ali told reporters.

The announced decision by Suriname runs contrary to an agreement by both Guyana and Suriname to have the bridge built jointly.

The Surinamese Minister said his Government was considering a number of financial models, among them, the possibility of toll collection.

President Ali said Guyana intends to continue being part of any project to bridge the Corentyne.

“Guyana is interested in being part of a project that covers two sovereign space in a joint manner – that has always been our position. There is no other position that is before me, there is no other official position that is before me, there is no other official request that is before me,” he said.

The President said should he be informed a new position taken by the Surinamese Government, he will pronounce on it “decisively.”

In the past, President Ali had said that Guyana and Suriname were awaiting word from China on their joint request for concessional financing to build the bridge across the Corentyne River.

A Joint Ministerial Committee of Suriname and Guyana was expected to work out the financing modalities for the construction of the bridge.

The process was initiated in November 2020 under the current Guyana Government and the former Government of Suriname.

The two countries have long established the importance of having a fixed connection to ultimately enhance hemispheric connectivity with Brazil and the rest of the South American continent.

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