Guyanese Private Sector up in arms over Suriname’s imposed Corentyne River fees

Several Private Sector bodies across Guyana are concerned about the fallout of the new fees imposed by Surinamese authorities on Guyanese operators using the Corentyne River, saying that it could affect the strong trade relations between the two South American neighbours. Last month, President Dr Irfaan Ali disclosed that he had issued a diplomatic note to the Government of Suriname to formally protest the institution of the charges on Guyanese timber and quarry operators traversing the Corentyne River, which borders the two countries; however, the Dutch-speaking nation has sovereignty over the critical waterway.
Efforts by Guyana Times to confirm with Guyanese Government officials whether the Surinamese authorities have responded were futile. However, major local Private Sector organisations in Guyana are raising concerns about the development.

On Saturday, the Shipping Association of Guyana (SAG) warned that proposed fees on Guyanese vessel operators could disrupt cross-border trade and harm economic ties with Suriname. According to the association, such a move could have “adverse implications for trade and commerce” between the two countries.
SAG recognised that the Corentyne River serves as a key economic artery linking Guyana and Suriname, facilitating the movement of goods, services and people, particularly between Berbice and Nickerie. It noted that any unilateral increase in costs or restrictions on access risks undermining this longstanding relationship.
The association further pointed out that businesses on both sides of the border could be negatively affected if the fees are implemented without consultation. As such, SAG urged the Surinamese authorities to refrain from introducing new charges until a mutually agreed solution is reached through formal negotiations between the two Governments.

Direct impact
Already, communities along the Upper Corentyne region of Guyana are beginning to feel the weight of uncertainty as a result of the introduction of this new maritime fee, with those in river-dependent villages like Orealla bracing for a direct hit on their livelihoods. Economic activity in Orealla is heavily tied to sand mining, loam extraction and timber production – industries that depend almost entirely on river access.

The Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UCCCI) and the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCC&DA) have already called for immediate Government intervention – something that is now being supported by the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce (CCCC). “The CCCC urges high-level dialogue and an immediate diplomatic resolution,” its President, Adrian Anamayah, said, adding that “the fees are arbitrary, unreasonable, unconscionable and without any legal basis. The supply of essential building materials like sand, loam, stone, timber, and other commodities would be greatly affected.” According to Anamayah, these fees would not just have an immediate and direct impact on riverine communities and many local businesses but also on the end users of the essential building materials and the construction boom ongoing in Region Six.

Anti-trade, anti-CSME & harmful
In addition, Guyana’s umbrella business body, the Private Sector Commission (PSC), has also strongly condemned the imposed fees, saying that the move will disrupt trade, increase costs for operators and place Guyanese businesses and communities at an immediate disadvantage. “We have heard directly from our members. The impact is real, immediate, and damaging. From timber and quarrying to transport and river-based commerce, these unilateral charges are driving up the cost of doing business, weakening competitiveness and placing additional pressure on livelihoods in communities that depend on the river every day,” the Commission noted. It added that these actions directly contradict the spirit of CARICOM and are fundamentally at odds with the principles of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), which are intended to promote the free movement of goods, fair treatment and the removal of barriers to regional trade – not the creation of new ones. Nevertheless, the Commission joined in calling on the Guyanese Government to engage the Surinamese authorities “with urgency, firmness and absolute clarity”. Securing the removal of these fees and restoring a fair and predictable operating environment must be the immediate objective.”

Dialogue must deliver results
While it noted that dialogue must remain the first path, the PSC contends that it must deliver results, cautioning that if these measures are not reversed, then the Government of Guyana must be prepared to implement proportionate and strategic responses to defend Guyanese businesses, safeguard livelihoods and restore balance to the trading relationship. “The PSC will continue to advocate relentlessly for the protection of Guyanese enterprise, the defence of fair trade, and full respect for regional commitments. Guyana must not accept conditions that place its people and industries at a disadvantage within a system meant to ensure equity and mutual benefit. Guyana cannot champion integration on one side and accept discriminatory barriers on the other. The principle of reciprocity is fundamental to fair trade, and where balance is not maintained, it inevitably invites proportionate responses,” the umbrella Private Sector body asserted.
Similarly, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has also condemned Suriname’s attempts to stymie development, especially in Berbice, and the lack of good faith and reciprocity by the Dutch nation.

Halt infrastructure project
The Chamber further contended that the recent unilateral imposition of exorbitant fees for the use of shared waterways is a slap in the face of Guyana’s continued attempts to foster bilateral trade relations. In fact, the GCCI argued Guyana cannot continue to act in good faith and pursue infrastructural development that will benefit Suriname.
“As such, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry calls on the Government of Guyana to halt discussions on the development of the Corentyne River Bridge linking Guyana and Suriname unless these issues are permanently resolved. As a nation, Guyana must not continue to extend a hand of friendship without reciprocity. Our resources must be channelled towards undertakings that yield mutual benefit and ought not to include partners who frustrate and obstruct our people’s advancement,” the Chamber declared in a recent statement.
It further lamented the challenges already being experienced as a result of unfair and one-sided practices by Surinamese authorities that have created obstacles for Guyanese businesses and fishermen. Added to this, the GCCI highlighted that Guyana continues to witness the proliferation of counterfeit and illicit goods entering the country from Suriname.