–Minister Mustapha says

AGRICULTURE Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has debunked claims that Guyanese fisherfolks will have to pay a hefty sum of US$5,000 (G$1,000,000) for a Suriname fishing licence.
Mustapha, in an invited comment, said that checks with the various fisheries co-operative societies were made and no such reports were filed to the ministry.

“No fisherman has brought that to my knowledge…. Fishermen have not paid any licence fee as yet… I questioned the chairman of the Number 56 co-op, he told me till in March they will be paying and that claim with the fee is of no such,” Minister Mustapha said.

In November of last year, it was reported that a number of Guyanese vessels will return to Suriname to be registered for fishing in 2023.
Efforts were made by the Guyanese authorities to acquire licences for fisherfolks to operate in Suriname waters without any hassle, and while an agreement was made between the two governments, there has been a delay on the side of the Dutch counterpart.

Last year, following the release of an email sent by Suriname’s Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Parmanand Sewdien, to Guyana’s Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, vindicating the agreement for the provision of Suriname fishing licences to Guyanese fisherfolk, Guyana had decided to forge ahead with its decision to write the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on the delayed delivery.

“They promised us, they made a commitment; also, we would have submitted all the documents that they called for and all that they wanted and we were waiting on them,” Mustapha had said.
The email, which, according to the minister was leaked to Suriname’s parliament, vindicated the Surinamese minister’s promise to issue licences to fisherfolk here in Guyana.

In the email dated December 13, 2020, which was seen by this publication, Suriname’s Agriculture Minister informed Mustapha that the fishing licences would be issued from January 1, 2021.
Additionally, Sewdien wrote that a government company will be appointed to oversee the registration of vessels and issuance of licences to Guyanese fishermen.

During a November 2020 visit to Suriname, Minister Mustapha had met with Minister Sewdien, and requested the issuance of 150 SK licences, which would allow Guyanese fishermen to ply their trade in Suriname waters.

Minister Mustapha recalled the earlier discussions between President, Dr Irfaan Ali and the President of Suriname, Chandrikapersad Santokhi, that there should be an agreement on the issuance of the number of licences requested by Guyana.

At the last meeting of President Ali and President Santokhi in Georgetown, it was agreed that by January 1, 2022, arrangements would have been put in place to facilitate the issuance of the 150 SK licences to Guyanese fishermen.