HGP Nightly News – Suriname’s President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons says Guyana was informed months ago that Suriname intended to finance the proposed Corentyne River Bridge.
Her comments come after President Dr. Irfaan Ali said Guyana is awaiting formal correspondence from Paramaribo before responding to any revised proposal.
According to Demerara Waves, Ali said discussions between the two countries had always centred on Suriname securing financing for the project.
Speaking with the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), Ali said Suriname had repeatedly indicated it was “sorting out their financing.” He added that the matter remained before a joint subcommittee of finance and public works officials.
Geerlings-Simons, however, said the decision was communicated as far back as February during a meeting in St. Kitts.
“We didn’t decide it now, we informed the President of Guyana in St. Kitts,” she said. Asked how Suriname plans to fund the estimated US$300 million project, she replied, “We will… don’t worry.”
Ali confirmed the two leaders discussed the issue informally in St. Lucia. He said Guyana will wait for the official proposal before determining its position.
“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,” he said.
The disagreement centres on whether Guyana had prior notice of Suriname’s decision to finance the bridge independently.
Guyana has maintained the bridge was conceived as a joint project with shared financing and management. Suriname insists its position was communicated months ago.
