Todd briefs ‎Surinamese diplomat on plans to develop infrastructure in remote communities

…Corentyne Bridge, Border Commission meeting also discussed

Surinamese Ambassador to Guyana, Liselle Blankendal, on Monday met with Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd, the meeting coming on the heels of Suriname’s recent protest note to Guyana over the New River Triangle (NRT).
According to an information note from Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Blankendal was briefed about Guyana’s plans and framework when it comes to servicing remote areas, something President Dr. Irfaan Ali himself had said was the motivating factor for the government’s planned developments in the NRT.
The information note explained that Todd outlined government’s policy framework for providing social services, including healthcare and education, as well as improving existing infrastructure “to facilitate humanitarian support and other emergency relief services, to remote communities within Guyana’s territory.”
In addition, the minister and ambassador also discussed advancing bilateral cooperation between Guyana and Suriname, through the Strategic Dialogue Cooperation Platform (SDCP) which includes the Corentyne River bridge and preparations to convene a Meeting of the Border Commission between the two countries.

“The next SDCP between the two countries is scheduled to take place in February 2025. The MOU establishing the SDCP was signed by Guyana and Suriname during a Presidential visit to Suriname in November 2020 with the aim of enhancing cooperation through the establishment of several working groups on a number of areas, including infrastructure, agriculture, security, health, trade and the environment,” the information note stated.
In 2020, the SDCP was launched, during which representatives from Guyana and Suriname discussed creating a framework for collaboration of culture, sports and tourism; the Corentyne River Bridge; improving inter-country agricultural sector; security, and diversification of the economies; and external trade of Guyana and Suriname.
In the years since, relations have blossomed between the two countries. Today, Guyana and Suriname share cordial relations and only recently recommitted to strengthening bilateral cooperation in a number of areas ranging from food security, energy security and border security with the aim of fostering economic development in the two countries and prosperity for their peoples.
These pledges were made by Governance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Gail Teixeira, and Suriname’s Ambassador to Guyana, Blankendal, at a reception last week in Georgetown. The event was held to celebrate both the 49th anniversary of Suriname’s Independence and the establishment of diplomat ties between the two neighbouring countries.
The Corentyne River Bridge was one of the first projects agreed on between Presidents Ali and Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi. These Heads of States had previously underscored the critical role the bridge would play in advancing cooperation and creating more opportunities for development for both countries.
The Corentyne River Bridge, which would connect Moleson Creek in Guyana with South Drain in Suriname, would be approximately 3.1 kilometres in length, and would have a landing on Long Island in the Corentyne River, where a commercial hub and tourist destination would be established. That duty-free zone would see major infrastructural development: such as hotels, recreational parks, entertainment spots, tourist attractions, malls, and farmers’ markets.
Additionally, President Ali has for some time touted a regional energy corridor as Guyana moves to monetize its gas resources, which will be an independent project from the model Gas-to-Energy (GtE) initiative that is currently under construction at Wales, West Bank Demerara.
However, the Suriname government recently issued a protest note to Guyana, over the plans announced by the government to develop the airstrip at ‘Camp Jaguar’ in a Region Six area known as the New River Triangle… an area that Suriname falsely claims as its own.
According to the reports, Suriname Minister of Foreign Affairs Albert Ramdin summoned Guyana’s Ambassador to Suriname, Virjanand Depoo last Friday, to express concern and issue a protest note over the announced plans for the airstrip, as well as a school, which were recently made by President Ali.
Following this report, President Ali in an interview with the media on Sunday, had made it clear that there was nothing wrong with Guyana seeking to develop the Camp Jaguar airstrip, on its own territory.
According to President Ali, he has already spoken with Surinamese President Chandrikapersad Santokhi. Moreover, he assured this is not a military occupation but rather, the Guyana government seeking to develop infrastructure that can support Indigenous populations in the area.