President Dr. Irfaan Ali says Guyana will soon intensify its advocacy on the issue of charges being imposed for use of the Corentyne River, describing the matter as one that has received significant attention from the government.
The President made the disclosure while speaking with reporters on Wednesday, noting that the issue remains a priority for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“This is a matter that we have placed tremendous emphasis on. It’s a priority matter for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. So every day, we are engaged on it,” President Ali said.
He explained that although his visit to Suriname the day before was primarily to pay tribute to former President Chandrikapersad Santokhi and honour the partnership they shared, he still raised the river charges issue with Suriname’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“But yes, of course, I raised the matter with the Minister of Foreign Affairs,” the Head of State said.
According to President Ali, Guyana is preparing to increase its efforts to resolve the matter.
“And in another few days, we will step up our advocacy in getting this matter sorted,” he said.
Asked whether there had been a formal response to Guyana’s diplomatic note on the matter, the President said that aspect is being handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is dealing with a diplomatic note. You can speak to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about that,” he said.
The issue of river charges has become a growing concern for Guyanese operators, particularly in the timber and quarry sectors, with the Guyanese government recently expressing unease over the impact such fees could have on trade and cross-border business activity.
President Ali has previously argued that relations between Guyana and Suriname should be rooted in deeper economic integration and mutual benefit, while maintaining predictable and fair conditions for commerce.
