Corentyne is a fishing community. Sugar is dead there. But these days the pulse of the fishing industry is ebbing as well. In 2012, the governments of Guyana and Suriname commenced bilateral talks aimed at licensing fishing vessels operating along the Guyana and Suriname maritime boundary. The fishermen of the Corentyne were the natural beneficiaries.
A Fishing Decree (S.B. 1980 No. 144), amended by an Act (S.B. 2001 No. 120) and a 1978 law, prohibits fishing in the territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone of Suriname without a license. In May 2018, A Partnership for National Unity + the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) then Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan reached an agreement with Suriname’s Minister of Justice and Police, Stuart Getrouw, for the implementation of monitoring systems on Guyanese flagged fishing vessels licensed to operate in Suriname’s water.
By August last year, the new People’s Progressive Party (PPP) regime made no effort to sustain the life of the agreement, which allowed Guyanese fishermen access to Suriname waters to pursue their economic aspirations unhindered and in accordance with the Hague Convention on the Law of the Sea. Installed Irfaan Ali placed heavy reliance on diplomacy with President Santokhi, who entrusted his coalition leader at home to resolve the issue and seal the deal. Suriname has been pedestrian on the issue, while the fisherfolks in Berbice and their families suffer.
Sources in the Dutch-speaking country point to the slothfulness of Santokhi. They say Suriname’s Private Sector, lobbyists and leaders of its western political districts are against the licensing of Guyanese fishing vessels. Businessmen in Suriname currently charge around $460,000 to lease their license to Guyanese fisherfolks and around $92,000 to lease to Suriname’s nationals.
This plight faced by the ordinary citizens of Guyana is normalized by the Ali administration in their attempt to maintain their “excellent” relationship with Santokhi. Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Huge Todd, when pressed by fisherfolks at a meeting in Corentyne stated that “… (Suriname) have their own political issues and special interest…we are seeing progress on all other issues except the licenses, but we will get it done despite the forces working…Our government will keep you in the loop.”
Meanwhile, Global Americas online publication reported that Santokhi is hard-pressed by his coalition partner Ronnie Brunswijk, who is Vice President, to prioritize efforts to “… stabilize fiscal and monetary systems, while also establishing a social safety net for lower-income households” as opposed to external relations.
The Ali regime relentlessly pursues closer relations with the Santokhi government, which has given nothing more, over the past two years, to Guyana than Ambassador Liselle Blankendal, belatedly. Randeo Prasha, of the Central Corentyne Fishing Association, stated that “The Ambassador is welcomed, but that wouldn’t bring back we livelihood. We want to be able to fish without harassment.”
In accepting the new Ambassador, Irfaan Ali lauded, what he described as an excellent working relationship with Suriname. “I remain committed to preserving and building on this solid foundation. You can be assured of my Government’s full support as you carry out your mandate in furthering the excellent relations that exist between the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and the Republic of Suriname” Ali noted.
While the President describes the relationship with Santokhi’s government as excellent, the daily lives of the fisherfolks in Berbice like Randeo Prasha, continue to be affected by their inability to ply their trade and sustain their livelihoods.
More, In The Ring.
