Contractor to build Corentyne River Bridge to be selected soon

─ Guyanese, Surinamese officials to meet this week

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill said construction of the Corentyne River Bridge which will link Guyana and Suriname will commence soon. 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 Edghill stated.

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.

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 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 said.

Suriname’s President, H.E 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 said.

The proposed site for the bridge has already been selected and preparatory works have begun.