Suriname summons Guyana’s Ambassador over Jagdeo’s fishing remarks; Foreign Ministry cites evidence of initial agreement

Last Updated on Saturday, 24 September 2022, 16:27 by Denis Chabrol

Suriname’s acting Foreign Minister Krishna Mathoera has summoned Guyana’s Ambassador to that neighbouring country Keith George, telling him that Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo must be cautious about his utterances over an expected grant of 150 Suriname coastal fishing licences.

“During this summons, the Vice-President of Guyana was called upon to await diplomatic efforts and to refrain from making any wide-ranging public statements on the matter, which are currently under discussion between the two countries,” the Suriname Herald reported on Friday.

Suriname’s Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, Parmanand Sewdien earlier this year said the granting of the coastal fishing licences would be illegal. According to Guyanese legal experts, parties could not agree to something that is prohibited by law would not be of any legal effect.

A day after that meeting, Guyana’s Foreign Ministry on Friday issued a statement saying that based on the timeline that “it is evident that the diplomatic engagement has so far not reaped the desired outcome.”

The Guyana government said while the diplomatic and political initiatives were being undertaken, Guyanese fishermen continued to be harassed in Surinamese waters as they attempted to continue to ply their trade for their subsistence and that of their families.  “Matters escalated this year when  Suriname confiscated three Guyanese fishing vessels along with their nets and engines and sold the catch.”

The Guyana government said following the conclusion of the matter, Guyana reached out to Suriname to release the vessels on humanitarian grounds, but there was no accommodation to this effect.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Guyana remains ‘committed to good neighbourly relations with Suriname.’

Chronicling its version of engagements with Suriname about the need for the licences for Guyanese fishermen, the Guyana Foreign Ministry is seeking to rely on several bilateral ministerial engagements, including a communique between President Irfaan Ali and Suriname’s President Chandrikapersad Santokhi, to establish that there is a legitimate expectation that the fishing licences would be granted to Guyanese fisherfolk.  The Foreign Ministry noted that the Joint Communique issued by the Presidents from those discussions during their August 17-20 meeting in Georgetown committed “that both Ministers responsible would work towards the issuance of fishing licences in that category by January 1, 2022, keeping in mind the established quota on the Surinamese side.”

Ms Mathoera reportedly told the Guyanese envoy that Mr Jagdeo’s statements were “unfriendly” as well as ” irresponsible, not diplomatic and not in line with the spirit of cooperation as neighboring countries.” The Vice President has threatened that the Guyana g0vernmernt would not only complain about the dispute to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) of which both nations are members but also “play hardball” by possibly retaliating against Surinamese companies operating here.

The Foreign Ministry also apparently sought to establish early willingness of Suriname to grant the licences by facilitating the establishment of a company and formulation of two agreements. “In agreeing to the granting of the licenses, the Government of Suriname indicated that it
would set up a government -owned company to be the business partner of the Guyanese fishermen with which they will sign a Vessel basing Agreement, and which will take care of the registration of the vessels of the Guyanese fishermen. This was in keeping with Suriname’s
fishing legislation.

” The Government of Suriname also proposed the conclusion of a Fisheries Agreement between the two countries which would also address the granting of licenses. Guyana continued to engage in the discussions with Suriname in good faith with the expectation that they would
result in a mutually beneficial arrangement,” the Foreign Ministry added.

Noting that Guyana had first engaged Suriname on the need for licences since November 2020, the Foreign Ministry added that the names of the middlemen from whom Guyanese fishermen were renting their licences were eventually reluctantly provided and sent to Suriname’s Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries at his request. Further, a number of criteria were outlined for the formation of the company, the ministry added.

According to the Guyana government, Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd wrote twice to his Surinamese counterpart Albert Ramdin reminding him of the commitment. Mr Ramdin reportedly responded on January 6, 2022 and suggested that the Ministers of Agriculture of both countries convene a meeting on January 13, 2022 in order to reach an agreement. “The proposed meeting was never convened,” the ministry added.

At the Guyana/ Suriname/ Brazil Tripartite Summit which was held in Suriname, on 20 January 2022, the Presidents of Guyana and Suriname met, and the licenses were again discussed. “President Santokhi then indicated that he remains committed to the issuance of SK
licenses to Guyanese fishermen. • Guyana did not receive any further formal or substantive communication from Suriname on the issue,” the Foreign Ministry added.