Pres. Ali must see the real Suriname

Apr 06, 2026 Features / Columnists, The GHK Lall Column

(Kaieteur News) – The Guyana Government, Guyanese leaders, and the Guyanese people had better come quickly to their senses about Surinam. If not, these drip-by-drip intrusions will continue from Paramaribo, leaving this country looking like a global pushover, a certified patsy. Pres. Ali has to get his head in the right place, so he can get his act together, do what benefits this country, enhances its dignity. Guyana can’t be the richest country globally, but remain the weakest. A punching bag for other countries to attack continually, while content to hang passively, give off hollow sounds whenever slapped.

The latest Surinamese adventure in aggravation is to impose a tribute on vessels plying the Corentyne River. Tribute, or toll, fee or levy, it is a shakedown by Surinam. Surinam is neighbor and partner, or it’s an extortioner, a lowdown usurper. Not for the first time. Recall fishing licenses for Guyanese. Call to mind Guyanese nationals trekking the seas for a living, but caught, locked up, and held to virtual ransom. Go back and dig up the New River Triangle, and I have had enough of Surinam. Why is this relationship so one-sided, with Guyana always holding onto the jagged end of the stick? When Guyana always comes out a loser, it is not a respectful, honest, and dignified relationship from the Surinam side of the relationship. Pres. Ali can bury his head wherever pleases him, but the less that Guyana has to do with Surinam, the better it is for this country. Until such time that Surinam’s leaders come to their senses and discern that Guyana is not to be taken for granted, not to be pushed around, then the PPP Govt should have little dealings with this rogue neighbor.

Pres. Ali is on the wrong track when he talks about partnering with Surinam to construct a bridge across the Corentyne. Not when Surinam drummed up charges against Guyanese fishermen, drums up ways to make money off the backs of Guyanese, then beats a drum about neighborly relationship with the Guyanese people. Like hell there is. This is the worst way that Surinam can think of to express its credentials as a trusted friend, one that can be partnered with for such a large capital project as an international bridge. I don’t trust these folks. Frankly, I don’t see them as a good neighbor, but a scammer and a skimmer. Take a fee now, separate from a dollar tomorrow. What will it announce afterwards? A special tax on its residents of Guyanese origins?

As a courtesy to Excellency Ali: scrap visions and talks about that bridge. Can’t have it when this is the temperature. Don’t want it when this is the pulse of the environment. And when leaders in Surinam continue to manifest a tendency to find ways to reach into Guyanese purses, and make them lighter, then it is time for time for Pres. Ali to change course, show what he is made of, and do not retreat. The PPP Govt can strongarm Guyanese that it finds objectionable in the manner that punks do. Thus, the same PPP Govt leadership must exhibit the same strongman power projection and standup against Surinam overreach. Otherwise, the PPP is a punk in the domestic realm, but a pitiful pussycat (clawless and toothless [no bark, no spring in the step]) when international duty calls.

The fee is an overreach. No bridge. Open piracy on open waters. No bridge. Why do business, Dr. Ali, with people of that kind? To this point, different governments in this neighboring territory at different times have pushed a gun up into Guyana’s nose. When have leaders in this country (other than Burnham) stood up, rolled back their fists, and stepped forward against various Surinamese assaults on Guyana’s dignity? To Pres. Ali, this is respectfully offered: when a man or a country operates like a coward, that is what others see: a sniveling, groveling coward. Guyana no longer should be led, as though it is some pathetic poor relation to be pitied. Over and gone are those days. Instead of lodging complaints, get up and get in people’s face. If not an inch of Essequibo, why a gallon and fathom of river unless a dollar paid in the East? Unless, of course, the army, national guard, and PPP militia are reserved for undesirables who rub Guyana’s leaders raw.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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Border, Corentyne River, GHK Lall, map, Suriname

One thought on “Pres. Ali must see the real Suriname”

habeeb April 6, 2026 at 12:59 pm

The Corentyne River bridge joint partnership is a disaster in the making.
Guyana will come out the loser if or when the bridge is built, as Suriname
will seize it because it is in THEIR WATERS, where-ever that water rises
on the shores of Guyana. Ali is too immature in his thinking. As a kid, we
were told of the evils of the DUTCH curse.
It is cheaper to pay the Dutchman the fees using their river than losing a
bridge. This bridge is NOT to develop Guyana- that’s a myth, with Suriname,
Ali’s buddy friend-Santokhi, older, wiser fell for Ali’s stupidity is sharing the
bridge costs.

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