Shipping assn chief rubbishes Suriname’s proposed exemption system for vessels plying Corentyne River

Last Updated on Sunday, 5 April 2026, 23:01 by Writer

Chairman of the Shipping Association of Guyana (SAG), Komal Singh has rejected Suriname’s proposal that Guyana should apply for additional cargo vessels to be exempted from paying the recently imposed hefty charges to use the bordering Corentyne River.

“I don’t think we can have an exemption because if you have an exemption, you will start picking-and-choosing who will benefit from who don’t benefit,” he told Demerara Waves Online News.

Due to the movement of construction material, wood products and tourists on the river from Guyanese operations to destinations in Guyana and supplies from Suriname to its western neighbour, Mr Singh said, “It’s not separating and starting to give some people priority and others have to pay. I don’t think it’s going to be a level playing field.”

The Suriname government has publicly urged the Guyana government to apply for an exemption of other vessels through the diplomatic channels.

The foreign ministry here has since opted to become tight-lipped on the issue.

The Jennifer Geerlings-Simons administration in Suriname notes that vessels in support of the Guyana Sugar Corporation have long been exempted from charges for use of the Corentyne River.

But Mr Singh was adamant that Suriname should not charge Guyanese vessels that use that waterway to move cargo such as crushed stone and wood from operations up river on the Guyana side.

The SAG Chairman echoed calls by several other private sector organisations in Guyana that there should be negotiations at the diplomatic level to settle the tariff dispute.

He appealed to Suriname to “pause” the levies and allow trade to continue tariff free. “I think it should be as is whereby we are free to run up and down the Corentyne River with no tariff attached to it. Like I said, it is not a one-side trade. Both parties are benefitting from whatever activity is taking place,” he said.

Separately, SAG said in a statement that it remains committed to supporting dialogue and collaboration between stakeholders to ensure that the Corentyne River continues to serve as a shared resource that benefits both nations equitably.

The Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce and Industry says the charges include US$2,500 per trip for what had been classified as pilot licence, and broker charges of between US$1,000 and US$1,500.

Demerara Waves Online News was informed by multiple sources that the charge for quarry and products ranges from US$1.00 to US$1.50 per tonne for as much as 1,000 or more tonnes.

UCCI President, Krishnand Jaichand confirmed that several years ago, Guyanese vessels had been required to pay a licence to Suriname for traversing the Corentyne River.

That is also the view of Surinamese lawyer and former ambassador Aashna Kanhai, who said in a recent interview with Suriname’s LIM FM, that the fees date back to the Desi Bouterse presidency.

According to the legal expert, the fact that an exemption was requested previously confirms that Guyana is aware that Guyanese vessels are normally required to pay the levy.

Mr Singh, for his part, was cautiously open-minded about a small flat of fee, saying that would have to be studied carefully to ascertain whether it would result in consumers paying more.

Mr Jaichand believed that one of the reasons behind Suriname’s imposition of the levies is the protection of two Surinamese companies that are exporting stone aggregate to Guyana “because they don’t have to pay these kinds of tax.” “The stone that is coming over – our local producers cannot compete with it now,” he said.