Guyana, Suriname to iron out remaining issues for building Corentyne River bridge, review Canawaima ferry operations

Last Updated on Saturday, 13 September 2025, 16:35 by Writer

Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali and the President of Suriname Jennifer Geerlings-Simons on Saturday agreed to establish a coordinating group to settle all matters to pave the way for the construction of the bridge across the bordering Corentyne River.

“We have agreed to have a specific coordinating group look at addressing all outstanding issues, technical, financial, legal issues, so that we can advance this project in an efficient manner,” he said.

Neither Dr Ali nor Dr Geerlings-Simons entertained questions from the media after reading their statements at the end of their first summit held in Nickerie, an agricultural township on the right bank of the Corentyne River.

No timeframe was announced for the start of construction of the 1.1 kilometre bridge by China Road and Bridge Corporation, but the Guyanese leader said “there will be timely advancement of the project” because the two sides recognised the transformational role it can play for tourism, trade, connectivity and people to people exchanges.”

In May, 2025, days before Suriname’s general elections, that country’s then President Chandrikapersad Santokhi had said that the sod-turning for the bridge was weeks away.

Emphasising the important role of the Canawaima ferry service in the movement of goods and services between Guyana and Suriname, the Guyanese leader said he and the President of Suriname said there would be a review aimed at improving the efficiency and reliability of the ferry service.

“We agree that there is need for urgent review in improving and strengthening the reliability, efficiency of this service, and we have committed to having that review and to take the necessary action that would lead to the improvement of that service,” he said.

The Canawaima Ferry, which was financed by the European Union, has been dogged by technical problems in recent years, resulting in downtime and the disruption in the movement of vehicles and passengers between Moleson Creek, Guyana and South Drain, Suriname.

Guyana considers the back-track route at Skeldon illegal.