Last Updated on Friday, 3 April 2026, 22:56 by Writer
In what appeared on Friday to be intensified pressure on the Suriname government to stop charging Guyanese cargo vessels to use the Corentyne River, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) recommended that the government call off talks on bridging the Corentyne River.
Since President Irfaan Ali fired his initial verbal salvo on Suriname earlier this month, the Guyana government has gone silent on the issue.
Top foreign ministry officials say the two governments were in contact but the talks are shrouded in secrecy.
Suriname says the laws and regulations are not new and that Guyana is free to ask for exemption of other vessels through the diplomatic channels.
The city chamber also cited several other trade problems, such as the dumping of illicit and inferior goods from Suriname on the Guyanese market, that must be addressed before bridge talks could be revived.
[simpay id=”85861″]”The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) calls on the Government of Guyana to halt discussions on the development of the Corentyne River Bridge linking Guyana and Suriname unless these issues are permanently resolved,” the chamber said in a statement.
In reality, plans to construct the Corentyne River bridge have slowed down since the National Democratic Party (NDP)-led administration of Dr Jennifer Geerlings-Simons took office less than one year ago.
Her government has yet to find money to build that east-west link due to tight budgetary constraints and closely monitored spending by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The then Chandrikapersad Santokhi-led administration had pledged to find the money for the bridge if it had won last year’s elections.
One week after President Ali flagged the importance of “reciprocity”, the city chamber advised against Guyana extending a “hand of friendship without reciprocity.”
The GCCI, regarded as one of many private sector organisations that enjoy very close relations with the People’s Progressive Party Civic and its administration, wants to see Guyana’s resources being channeled towards undertakings that yield mutual benefit, and “ought not include partners who frustrate and obstruct our people’s advancement.”
Dr Ali last week did not rule out taking action against Suriname if that country did not backpedal on charging for the movement of quarry products and wood on the Corentyne River from operations in Guyana to other areas in the country down river.
“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,” he said.
Adding its voice to the issue, the Upper Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UCCI) said communities along the river, including Orealla and Siparuta, would “feel the full brunt” of Suriname’s draconian policy because the additional cost of doing business would be passed on to purchasers, making the business operations less competitive in the open market. “This certainly will have a deleterious effect on the local economy with catastrophic repercussions,” the chamber said.
The UCCI said a number of operators were required to pay as much as US$2,500 per trip for what had been classified as pilot licence. Additionally, broker charges range from US$1,000 – US$1,500, an amount that is regarded as “exorbitant, extortionate, and unaffordable, far beyond the ability of the river users to pay.”
The UCCI recommended that Guyana swiftly construct a road from Crabwood Creek to Orealla to virtually eliminate the need to use the Corentyne River. “This unfortunate development has once again reignited the call and determination to expedite the completion of the road linking Crabwood Creek and Orealla. This would obviate the need to become totally dependent on Surinamese discretion and approval. The road will be ours to use,” the UCCI said.
The Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) said the imposition of the fees threatens to increase the cost of doing business for Guyanese operators, particularly those involved in trade, transport, timber, quarrying, and other economic activity linked to the Corentyne.
Such measures, the GMSA says, not only affect individual businesses but also have wider implications for border communities, supply chains, and investment confidence between Guyana and Suriname.
The GCCI contended that the levies for using the Corentyne River are part of a wider plot by Suriname to push its colonial-era claim to the 6,000 square mile New River Triangle in south-eastern Guyana.
“The pursuit of Suriname of this illegal claim seems to be one of the key motivations for the creation of impediments to the rapid pace of development being undertaken in Guyana, including in Berbice, and aimed at preventing this county from reaching its peak potential,” the chamber said.
In its statement, the chamber complained bitterly that, while the river levies were new, that issue brought to the fore the longstanding challenges experienced by Guyana as a result of Suriname’s lack of good faith and direct attempts to prevent the advancement of the business community in Berbice.
The GGCI said for years, Guyanese businesses and fisherfolk have lamented the challenges experienced as a result of unfair and one-sided practices by Surinamese authorities that have created obstacles for Guyanese businesses and fisherfolk.
The GCCI said Guyana continued to witness the proliferation of counterfeit and illicit goods entering the country from Suriname.
In keeping with the objective of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME), Guyana has allowed the free movement of goods and people from Suriname—a decision that has been respected by Guyana’s private sector.
“However, lax regulations and controls of ports and Guyana’s respect for the spirit of the CSME has rendered our country vulnerable to the movement of illicit, counterfeit, and harmful products into Guyana,” the chamber added.
The chamber said those products include cigarettes, banned pesticides and mosquito coils that were found to present significant health risks to consumers.
Beyond the threats to wellbeing, the GCCI says movement of these products have resulted in challenges to manufacturers in Guyana as the influx of these counterfeit products have resulted in unfair market competition.
Meanwhile, the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA) urged the Guyana government to take a three-pronged approach in resolving the brewing trade dispute.
That organisation wants Guyana and Suriname to find a diplomatic solution, provide clear guidance and protection to Guyanese operating on the Corentyne River regarding their rights and obligations, and ensure the presence of Guyanese authorities in the upper Corentyne region to monitor the situation and assist affected Guyanese.
“These unilateral fees represent a significant escalation that our small business owners and residents cannot absorb. We are witnessing a situation where Guyanese are being penalized for utilizing shared water-space that has always been used freely for legitimate trade and travel. This action directly impedes the ease of doing business and disrupts the longstanding relations between our border communities,” BCCDA President Samantha Reid was quoted as saying in her organisation’s statement.
The GMSA says Guyana and Suriname must continue to pursue closer economic collaboration, not policies that restrict movement and make cross-border trade more costly and uncertain.
That association is urging the relevant authorities in Suriname to reconsider and reverse these fees in the interest of preserving goodwill, supporting regional business development, and maintaining the longstanding spirit of cooperation between both two countries.
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