Latest update April 7th, 2025 12:08 AM
Suriname, Guyana sign anti-crime pact
Illegal firearms, smuggling, piracy high on agenda…24-hour communication line open
By Ivan Cairo
PARAMARIBO, Suriname- Vowing to cooperate more closely in their fight against crime, Suriname and Guyana on Monday signed a bilateral anti-crime agreement, the so-called ‘Nieuw-Nickerie Declaration’.
The pact came as delegations from Suriname and Guyana, respectively led by Minister of Justice and Police Chandrikapersad Santokhi and his Guyanese counterpart of Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, met for a one-day bilateral meeting in Nickerie, which is at the border with Guyana.
It is the intention of both countries to cooperate intensively to tackle crime and security threats in Suriname and Guyana, said Santokhi, who further disclosed that it was the first time that the two neighbours have signed an agreement at the level of their Ministers of Security. The agreement covers areas such as trans-national crimes, money-laundering, trafficking in illegal firearms and drugs, smuggling, trafficking in persons, piracy, and violent crimes.
The two delegations have further decided to establish a permanent 24-hour communication line at the political and operational levels between the two ministers and the Police Forces of Suriname and Guyana. There will also be the enhanced exchange of intelligence and expertise.
The agreement also stipulates that the two ministers will hold talks at least once a year to assess if there is progress in the implementation of the agreed issues.
“We had very fruitful and intensive discussions, and as ministers we have received valuable and instructive information from both sides,” said the Surinamese official. The two ministers recognized that Suriname and Guyana are being confronted by similar crime and security issues. “This indicates that one country can’t address the problems on its own, but must cooperate with the other to be successful,” Santokhi argued. He further noticed that Guyana and Suriname, for an extended period of time, have worked together on an informal basis, while criminal elements have exploited the lack of official cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
“That period has come to an end now, and let this be a clear message to all criminal elements that we will tackle crime between the two countries together,” he said.
According to Minister Rohee, Suriname and Guyana, with the signing of the agreement, are setting a trend for other CARICOM member states. With the closer cooperation, security for the peoples of Guyana and Suriname should improve, said the Guyanese official.
He recognised that often the follow-up on agreements could bring about challenges. “However, it’s always the follow-up; what mechanisms do we put in place to follow up to translate what we have decided on into concrete activities to result in development for our respective countries,” said Rohee.
He contended that the inbuilt mechanisms and establishment of vocal points, and the usefulness of bringing together the officials to sit and interface with each other, would bear more results, “so that it’s no longer a telephone number, a fax number or e-mail address”. It is now a face; it is now a person; it is now the chemistry that will bring the process forward,” he added.
According to Rohee, all the ingredients are in place to make the cooperation a success.
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