Latest update November 29th, 2024 1:00 AM
Jagdeo, Bouterse meet UG students at Tain
President Bharrat Jagdeo and Suriname’s President Desi Bouterse led a high-level delegation to the University of Guyana Berbice Campus, yesterday. The meeting which saw the presence of dignitaries and Ministers from both governments allowed for interaction with students of the university.
President Jagdeo said that the visit was aimed at meeting young people on whose shoulder rests the future of Guyana.
Surinamese President Desi Bouterse, President Jagdeo and UGBC Director Professor Daizal Samad toured the campus yesterday
Both presidents urged the gathering to help bring the two nations together, to create synergies in foreign policy and free flow of goods and services.
Jagdeo said that there has been an absence of political will and institutional malaise which has hindered economic cooperation between Guyana and Suriname.
He said that students of the university must participate in the process of integration of the two countries which would ultimately bring benefits for all.
President Bouterse said that his country is made up of over 67 per cent young people. “We are going to invest in our most precious resource. We are on a new path—integration.”
He said that Suriname is focusing on youths and has the largest youth movement in the Caribbean.
CORENTYNE RIVER BRIDGE
Responding to questions about the Corentyne River Bridge, President Jagdeo stated that currently the technical options are being explored; whether to build a floating or fixed structure, etc.
A special committee, he said, is in place to look at the best site for the bridge. Jagdeo said that the project is not that futuristic; that work is going to take place.
He spoke about the three- hour waiting time passengers have to endure at the Moleson Creek Ferry Terminal and lauded his Surinamese counterpart for the political will to build the structure.
REUNITING THE GUIANAS
President Jagdeo said that while uniting the three Guianas (Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana) can be possible, contentious issues of sovereignty do exist.
“We must focus on economic integration; if that goes well, who knows what would happen in the future”, he said.
ISSUES WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA
The Guyanese president said that certain issues with the University of Guyana have to be dealt with. Responding to a student’s question about the possibility of Tain Campus becoming autonomous and separate from the Turkeyen’s Campus, Jagdeo said that there are a lot of quality issues that he would be addressing.
He said that the possibility of autonomy of Tain from Turkeyen can be explored. “There’re a lot of issues I have to deal with [at UG],” he said. He said that the government has no intention of taking over the university. “We have to make sure that we have value for taxpayers’ monies”. (Leon Suseran)
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