Guyana, Suriname to meet on minibus stalemate

Jan 16, 2015 News

A new measure of Suriname that requires local bus drivers to apply for a licence to operate in that country contradicts agreements in place, Government said yesterday.

Foreign Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

A meeting is now being arranged between the two countries to iron out the contentious issue.
Guyanese minibus drivers have been complaining that they are barred from operating in that country.
Their Surinamese counterparts claim that they are losing business and Guyanese drivers are picking up passengers, crossing on the Moleson Creek ferry and driving all the way to the capital, Parimaribo.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on December 19th, the Embassy of Guyana in Paramaribo was informed by four minibus operators that the Surinamese authorities had instituted new requirements for buses plying the route to the capital.
“More specifically, they indicated that the new requirement is that they have to transport the identical passengers they brought from Guyana on their return from Suriname. Needless to say this requirement is impractical given that persons have varying lengths of stay and passengers might also be traveling one way only. The Embassy immediately contacted the Surinamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs who promised to speak with their custom authorities and revert with information pertaining to the issue.”

Surinamese Foreign Minister, Winston Lackin

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, intervened after there were no updates. On December 24th, she spoke to her Surinamese counterpart, Winston Lackin “explaining that the new requirement has serious implications for free movement between the two countries, especially since tourism and general movement between Guyana and Suriname have been growing. Minister Lackin promised to get more information on the matter and that he will do his best to have it resolved”.
According to the Ministry, the Embassy of Guyana also continued to follow up with the Foreign Ministry in Suriname, but no formal transmission of the new requirements has been received to date.
“In the meantime, the Ministry has recently learnt that another requirement instituted by the Surinamese authorities is that Guyanese operators need to apply for a license to operate from Guyana to Paramaribo. This requirement and the one previously mentioned are inconsistent with the Cross Border Protocol of October 22, 1998.”
Yesterday, the Minister again spoke with Lackin and “they both recognize the good neighborly relations that exist between Guyana and Suriname, which has in part facilitated the increase movement of people between the two countries. They have agreed that the resolution of the matter is urgent and that a meeting between the two sides must be convened soonest.The necessary arrangements are being made for the meeting to take place.”