$240M agreed for Corentyne Bridge, related works

PROVISION for a 3.9 kilometer access road to the planned Corentyne Bridge in Berbice and terminal facilities at the Guyana end was made Thursday night, through an allocation of $240M by the Parliamentary Committee of Supply in the National Assembly.
The approval was given as Government Members of Parliament (MPs) Robeson Benn and Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett laid to rest Opposition concerns over the agreement between Guyana and Suriname for the construction of the crossing.
Rodriques-Birkett, who is Minister of Foreign Affairs, explained that Suriname will be covering the cost of the erection and although a contract for it is still to be agreed.
She said Guyana is privy to those discussions and has to give a no-objection before the award.
According to her, the deal is likely to be signed this year and, hence, the budgeted sum is for works to begin once the job is awarded by Suriname.

Expressed worries
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) MPs Joseph Harmon and Carl Greenidge, had expressed worries about issues of sovereignty, considering the disputes over the Corentyne River.
The Government of Suriname has made claims to the New River Triangle, an area of about 6,000 square miles (about 15,600 square kilometers) of Guyana’s territory located on the South-Eastern corner of this country.
Suriname has also claimed the entire Corentyne River as its territory and this, itself, has caused some controversy.
Recently, Suriname has also laid claim to a section of Guyana’s territorial sea, contending that the boundary in the continental shelf and the sea lies along a line originating at a point at Number 61 Village on the left bank of the Corentyne River and bearing 10 degrees East of true North.
Guyana has been accepting that the boundary should originate at that point but has been arguing that it should lie along what is referred to as the “median line.”
The issue of the median line is appropriate to the division of a river or a strait but has also been applied to the demarcation of lateral sea boundaries.
Guyana, formerly the colony of British Guiana, became an independent nation on May 26, 1966. With regards to the geographical limits of the State after Independence, Article 1 of the Constitution states specifically:”The Territory of Guyana shall comprise all the areas that, immediately before May 26, 1966, were comprised in the former Colony of British Guiana, together with such other areas as may be declared by an Act of Parliament to form part of the territory of Guyana.”
There has since been commitments to mutually beneficial relations between Guyana and Suriname, while the former remains firm on the issue of its sovereignty and land rights.
The Foreign Affairs Minister gave her assurance that these are issues that are taken into consideration.

Chinese Government
In February this year, Rodrigues-Birkett reported that engineers are, presently, working on the bridge design and construction will be funded by the Chinese Government.
She said: “Guyana, at the request of Suriname, has informed the Chinese Government that we are supportive of the bridge across the Corentyne River.”
The Guyana Government has also sent ‘no objection’ letters to the Foreign Ministries of Suriname and China, who are supportive of the undertaking.
In 2010, then President Bharrat Jagdeo and his Surinamese counterpart Desi Bouterse signed an accord for a feasibility study on bridging the Corentyne River, with both countries pledging to pursue a closer working relationship.
At another 2012 meeting, in Suriname, Guyana’s President Donald Ramotar and Suriname’s President Bouterse had agreed to move to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), seeking joint financing for the bridge. On that occasion, the two Heads of Government reiterated the significance of building the structure, noting that it would, considerably, enhance trade and economic relations and cultural exchanges between the peoples of the two nations.
The bridge across the Corentyne River has been identified as one of the projects that would further physical integration within the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), of which Guyana is a member.
As such, it remains a key area of focus for the Governments of both countries.

(By Vanessa Narine)