“We’re hoping to deal with this as friends” – Pres Ali

…as Guyana protests Suriname’s maritime charges for use of Corentyne River

Guyana has written neighbouring Suriname to formally protest the Dutch-speaking nation’s decision to institute charges for the use of the Corentyne River – a move that is affecting Guyanese timber and quarry operators hence President Dr Irfaan Ali is pushing to have the issue amicably resolved.
“We’re hoping that this can be dealt with as friends,” the Guyanese Head of State told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Georgetown on Thursday.
This comes hours after President Ali issued a statement via his Facebook page earlier in the day to inform the public that he had sent a diplomatic note to the Suriname Government about the imposed maritime charges on the Corentyne River, which borders the two South American nations.
President Ali noted these charges are a troubling development that has implications for economic activities and the long-standing arrangements between the two neighbouring countries.
“The Government of Guyana has formally lodged a protest with the Surinamese authorities on this matter and we are currently awaiting a response. We have raised our concerns in the spirit of dialogue and mutual respect, mindful of the importance of preserving the cooperative and friendly relations between our countries,” the Guyana Leader said in the social media post.
He went onto express hope that, in the interest of sustaining and strengthening bilateral trade, fostering private sector development, and upholding the principles of good neighbourly relations, the Government of Suriname will give urgent attention to this issue.

Creating unnecessary barriers
According to the Guyanese Head of State, measures of this nature risk creating unnecessary barriers to commerce and could undermine the confidence of businesses that rely on predictable and fair operating conditions.
“I wish to remind the Government of Suriname that Surinamese businesses and investors have long benefited from opportunities within our economy, where they have operated without discrimination or undue restriction. This openness has been a cornerstone of our engagement. Reciprocity remains a fundamental principle underpinning our relationship,” he noted.
Therefore, the president added, Guyana expects that the Surinamese authorities will reconsider and ultimately desist from any actions that may be perceived as arbitrary or detrimental to the shared objective of deepening cooperation. Such steps, he stressed, are essential to ensuring that bilateral relations between the two South American neighbours continue to be guided by mutual respect and good neighbourliness.
These views were reiterated by President Ali when he was subsequently asked by reporters about the issue.
“The Surinamese private sector businesses enjoy a level of freedom and equity of access here, like any local businesses. And for me, reciprocity is very important. And let’s see how this goes in another few days. And, you know, as a country, we will have to make the necessary adjustments to ensure that we are not placed at a disadvantage with the other businesses from Suriname, if it’s not corrected,” Ali asserted.
According to the Guyanese Leader, “I can’t say about the macro numbers. What I can say is that operators, especially in the timber and pouring industry, are facing the brunt of this. And you know how important that is for our own development now. So, of course, there is a trickle-down effect throughout the economy.”
At the time of the interview mid-Thursday afternoon, President Ali indicated that there was no response from the Surinamese Government as yet, but noted that “The Foreign Secretary [Robert Persaud] did indicate it to me that the Foreign Minister [of Suriname, Melvin Bouva] has engaged him since my post… This is a matter that is dealt with between two neighbours now.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation in Suriname issued a statement on Thursday evening, saying that the application of maritime charges on the Corentyne River is not new and is based on long-standing statutory provisions and established administrative practice regarding shipping within the Surinamese jurisdiction.
These measures, the Surinamese ministry said, are applied to all vessels in a consistent and non-discriminatory manner in accordance with national legislation and relevant international standards regarding safety, navigation, and the maintenance of waterways.
The Foreign Ministry in Paramaribo further outlined that a correspondence was sent via the diplomatic mission of Guyana in January of this year but there had been no response.
The Foreign Ministry said the Surinamese Government remains fully committed to maintaining strong, constructive, and future-oriented relations with Guyana. It added that Suriname continues to attach great importance to dialogue and engagement through appropriate bilateral channels, with a view to promoting mutual understanding and supporting the further growth of trade and economic cooperation between both countries.
The ministry went onto reaffirm Suriname’s commitment to the principles of good neighbourliness, transparency, and mutual respect in its regional relations.