Guyanese, Surinamese officials to meet this week on contractor for Corentyne River Bridge

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill and the Surinamese Delegation sail up the Corentyne River to plant the flags at Long Island.

Construction of the Corentyne River Bridge, which will link Guyana and Suriname, will commence soon as representatives from the two countries will be meeting this week to select a bidder for the massive project.

“Within this week, myself and my counterpart from Suriname will be engaged in discussions to ensure that we have the final bidder selected and work going because this bridge between Guyana and Suriname over the Corentyne River is high on the agenda of both administrations and both Presidents,” Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill stated during a press conference on Monday.

There are a total of eight shortlisted consultancy firms, including three joint ventures. These firms are WSP Caribbean Limited; EXP Services Inc in association with Pedelta, Arcadia, CEMCO; TYPSA, Leonhardt, Andrä und Partner GmbH and Firm Engineering NV; and Politecnica and Rina JV and sub-consultants ILACO and SRKN’gineering & Associates

The bridge will be constructed using a Design Build Finance Model through a private partnership arrangement with incentives given by both governments to the preferred bidder.

In October 2020, Edghill and his Surinamese counterpart, Dr Riad Nurmohamed had visited the site of the proposed Guyana-Suriname river bridge across the Corentyne River.

There were three points of demarcation identified – Moleson Creek, Long Island in the Corentyne River and South Drain in Suriname. Both Ministers planted flags on the Guyana side of the river and then the Suriname side of the river – where the bridge is to be constructed.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the construction of a high-span bridge over the Corentyne River linking the two countries was signed in November, 2020 during President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s Official visit to Suriname.

President Ali had said the construction of the bridge will create tremendous opportunities for both countries.

“Once constructed, not if constructed, the bridge will serve as a permanent physical link between the people of Guyana and Suriname but more importantly, that links to the rest of the South American continent,” President Ali had said.

Suriname’s President, Chandrikapersad Santokhi had stated that the bridge would mark a new era for both countries in several areas.

“This bridge on the Corentyne River is not only important to facilitate the movement of persons and goods, trade and cross border cooperation it also symbolises a transition from the old to a new era; the era of wellbeing and prosperity of our people and freedom, democracy and the rule of law,” he had said.

Reports indicate that the Corentyne River bridge is expected to be a flat bridge from Guyana to Long Island in the Corentyne River and then a high-span bridge from there to the Surinamese mainland to allow for heavy marine traffic. This bridge is expected to promote the safe movement of people and products.

Moreover, it is anticipated that Long Island will become an economic hub and free zone that will also see major infrastructural development such as hotels, recreational parks, entertainment spots, tourist attractions, malls, and farmers’ markets.

With the commitment to bridge Guyana and Suriname over the Corentyne River within five years, this project is expected to open up the pathway for other major developmental projects including the much-anticipated deep-water harbour project in Guyana.

This will be another Ding Dong bridge by the Chinese.