THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation wishes to refer to the Stabroek News Editorial of 29 August 2021 titled “Fishing Licences”, the opening sentence of which reads, in part, that Guyana and Suriname have agreed that “licences would be issued by Paramaribo to this country’s fishermen to operate in the Corentyne beginning in January 2022.” The Ministry wishes to state that the 150 licences are to permit Guyanese to fish in Suriname’s exclusive economic zone – that is off of its coast – and not for fishing in the Corentyne River.

Having clarified that, the premise of the entire editorial is incorrect, and not based on fact; there seems to be no need to correct the other statements and assertions that directly flow from that inaccuracy in the Editorial.

The Ministry hopes that the editorial board of the Stabroek News will find it appropriate to acknowledge the efforts of the leaders of Guyana and Suriname to meet on common ground on issues of day-to-day interest to their peoples now that it is known that a desire harboured by Guyanese fisherfolk for decades has official sanction.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation