The Corentyne River Bridge remains a joint undertaking between Guyana and Suriname, President Dr Irfaan Ali said on Wednesday, dismissing suggestions that either country would pursue the project independently.
“The [Corentyne] bridge is a bridge that is being discussed jointly, as a joint project, by the Government of Guyana and the Government of Suriname, and that is how it will be,” the president said.
He made the remarks while speaking with reporters on the sidelines of the swearing-in ceremony of six Puisne Judges at his Chiv Chanderpaul Drive office in Bourda, Georgetown.
The comments follow remarks by Suriname’s Public Works and Spatial Planning Minister Stephen Tsang, who recently said his government would finance the bridge project independently.
President Ali said no alternative proposal had been placed before him. “There is no other official position that is before me. There is no other official request that is before me,” he said.
He added that any new proposal would be addressed directly and decisively. “If any other request is made, then at that time I will be in a position to pronounce on it, and you can rest assured that I will pronounce decisively on it,” he said.
The bridge is proposed for construction under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Maintain (DBFOM) model, through a Public-Private Partnership arrangement under which the successful contractor or joint venture would handle final design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance.
Asked about charges introduced by Suriname for use of the Corentyne River by local operators, President Ali said he had not received any complaints from river users in recent times.
The Government lodged a formal protest with Suriname in March over the new charges, citing concerns about potential disruptions to trade and economic activity. (DPI)
