Suriname maintains Guyana aware of plans regarding construction of bridge

Last Updated on Tuesday, 7 July 2026, 17:47 by Denis Chabrol

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Jul 7, CMC – Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali Tuesday said that his administration will await official correspondence from Suriname regarding the move by the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to finance the construction of the Corentyne River on its own.

Ali told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC)  that  “as I said before” Georgetown has held  a number of meetings with Surinamese officials including with the late president Chandrikapersad  Santokhi  “coming all the way down to President (Jennifer Geerlings- Simmons regarding the financing of the bridge.

“And at every meeting we have had since, Suriname’s position has been that they are sorting out their financing. They are sorting out their financing. We had always proposed, and this matter was at the level of the Ministers of Finance and the Ministers of Public Works.

“That is where the subcommittee grouping within the working group was looking at it, and their position was always, Suriname trying to sort out their financing,”  Ali said.

Geerlings-Simons Tuesday said that Guyana had been advised as early as February this year of her country’s decision to finance the construction of the Corentyne River on its own.

“We didn’t decide it now, we informed the President of Guyana in St. Kitts,” Geerlings-Simons told CMC, adding “yes we had a bilateral”.

Asked how would Paramaribo be financing the project, she replied “we will …don’t worry.”

Earlier estimates had put the construction of the bridge at US$300 million.

Suriname’s Public Works and Spatial Planning Minister, Stephen Tsang, had told the National Assembly late last month of the new initiative regarding the financing of the multi-million dollar project.

The Corantijn Bridge is considered one of the most important infrastructure projects for the further economic integration of Suriname and Guyana and it is intended to replace the current ferry connection between South Drain and Moleson Creek while significantly facilitating the movement of goods and passengers between the two countries.

Under the previous Santokhi government, the project was prepared in close cooperation with Guyana.

Tsang did not address the consequences of the position of the Suriname government nor did he announce when any potential new tender will take place during his participation in the budget debate.

“The government has decided to finance the bridge 100 per  cent,” Tsang said as he responded to questions from legislators during the budget debate, adding that, depending on the chosen financing structure, a new tendering procedure will likely be necessary.

He told legislators that various financing models are still being investigated, including the possibility of toll collection.

“Several models have been discussed, including regarding toll collection. Everything is still open. All models are being reviewed together with the Ministry of Finance,” said Tsang, adding “the fact is that it must and will be a Surinamese bridge.”

President Ali told CMC that an “informal conversation” took place on Tuesday and what President Geerlings-Simons “said in that informal conversation is that she is now looking at financing the bridge, by getting financing from  Suriname.

“So, that is a matter that will be discussed at the subcommittee, in the working group, officially. The rest will be done officially, and then we will be in a position to know exactly what they are proposing now, and where we stand,”  Ali told CMC.

Last weekend, Guyana issued a statement saying it “has taken note of the statement”  issued by Suriname regarding the proposed bridge across the Corentyne River, noting that “from the inception of this initiative, the bridge has been conceived as a joint project.

“Given its cross-border character, it has always been understood by both Governments that the planning, financing, construction, operation, and management of the bridge would be matters for joint consideration and agreement.”

CMC/pr/ir/2026