…commit to agricultural trade, tourism, investment
President David Granger has met his Surinamese counterpart, President Desi Bouterse, on the sidelines of the 39th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom, to review the changing situation in the Caribbean and South America.
According to President Granger, the opportunity was taken to discuss matters of mutual concern.
“Whenever we meet, we try to speak. Unfortunately, because of various reasons, I have been travelling quite a lot, and we have not been able to have our regular meeting; so we are just reviewing the changing situation in the Caribbean, and also on the continent of South America,” President Granger explained.
The Guyanese Head of State said the meeting also allowed for the two neighbouring presidents to plan for future meetings, and identify matters to be discussed.
“In a sense, we’re setting the agenda for a further meeting between President Bouterse and myself. So, it’s an agenda- setting meeting and at the same time it’s a review of certain developments which have taken place since our last meeting,” he said.
Security matters such as piracy were discussed, and the two Heads of State have agreed to work to find short- to long-term solutions.
“As a matter of urgency, you know we have the security problem affecting the fishermen, and we are looking to deal with issues which could be resolved in the short and middle terms, to ensure that there is no lawlessness as occurred in April,” President Granger said.
In July 2016, President David Granger had made a visit to neighbouring Suriname with a view to expediting the implementation of various decisions that had been taken earlier. President Desi Bouterse in turn had made a one-day state visit to Guyana in December 2016 for a working meeting in Georgetown.
The two countries have agreed to work to expedite re-establishment of the Guyana-Suriname Cooperation Council, along with the appointment of a special envoy whose main responsibility would be to advance the implementation of agreements reached by the two States.
Additionally, a joint communique issued by the two parties had stated that technical officials from Guyana and Suriname would meet to discuss, through their respective committees, issues in relation to the protection of the environment, agricultural trade, tourism, investment, and cross-border activities.
“Both leaders agreed that full advantage should be taken of the opportunities for combining human and capital resources to further the economic and social development of the peoples of Guyana and Suriname,” the communique had stated.
