THE Private Sector Commission (PSC) has expressed its strong objection to the display of a map depicting the New River Triangle as part of Suriname during the opening ceremony of the Suriname Energy, Oil and Gas Summit (SEOGS) 2026.
While Guyana and Suriname have enjoyed longstanding economic, cultural, and people-to-people ties, and while the PSC has consistently advocated for stronger trade and business relations between our two countries, incidents such as these continue to undermine confidence and goodwill among the Guyanese business community.
This is not the first time the PSC has been compelled to raise concerns regarding the failure to properly recognise and respect Guyana’s territorial integrity.
On February 11, 2025, the PSC publicly objected to similar circumstances arising at a business conference in Suriname, where Guyana’s territorial boundaries were not appropriately represented.
At the time, the PSC called for greater sensitivity and respect for matters relating to sovereignty and territorial integrity, particularly in forums intended to promote regional business co-operation.
“It is, therefore, deeply disappointing that, more than a year later, the PSC finds itself once again forced to object to a similar occurrence,” the PSC said in a press release on Wednesday.
The PSC has consistently supported dialogue, co-operation, and stronger economic integration between Guyana and Suriname.
“We firmly believe that the private sectors of both countries stand to benefit from closer collaboration, increased trade, joint investment opportunities, and deeper economic partnerships.
“These objectives, however, can only be advanced in an environment of mutual respect and good faith. Recent developments, including concerns raised by the Guyanese private sector regarding the imposition of fees affecting vessels operating on the Corentyne River and now the repeated presentation of maps inaccurately depicting Guyana’s sovereign territory, have unfortunately created the perception of a troubling pattern that is inconsistent with the principles of neighbourly co-operation,” the PSC said.
The commission made it unequivocally clear that the New River Triangle is part of the sovereign territory of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. Any depiction suggesting otherwise is unacceptable and contrary to the spirit of constructive relations that both countries should be striving to strengthen.
Accordingly, the PSC calls upon the organisers of SEOGS 2026, including Staatsolie, to publicly address this matter and provide assurances that future conferences and official presentations will accurately reflect Guyana’s territorial boundaries.
The PSC said it remains committed to dialogue and engagement. However, meaningful co-operation requires reciprocity and respect.
“The Guyanese private sector cannot be expected to participate in forums designed to promote partnership while Guyana’s sovereignty is repeatedly disregarded. We urge our neighbours in Suriname to work with Guyana in a manner that strengthens trust, promotes mutual respect, and advances the shared economic interests of both nations,” the commission said.
The PSC added: “The future of Guyana-Suriname relations should be built on partnership and co-operation—not recurring incidents that unnecessarily strain relations between our peoples and businesses.”
