The feasibility study on the paving of the Linden to Lethem road is set to be completed early this year allowing for funding to be sought to realise the long-awaited project.
Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett made this disclosure during her budget presentation on Wednesday. This newspaper was told that once the study is completed, funding for the road could be aggressively pursued. This project has been on the agenda for many years and there is a renewed urgency because of aggressive moves by Suriname to become the gateway to Brazil.
The consultants doing the study were expected to complete it by the end of December. This was to be followed by a two-month review period after which a full feasibility study was to be released. However, the consultants, Stabroek News understands were granted an extension for the completion of the study and this is expected to be submitted within the next two months.
The governments of Guyana and Brazil are currently in negotiations about the project and funding for the road is widely expected to come from the neighbouring country. Recently President Bharrat Jagdeo visited Brazil to attend the Mercosur summit, during which a local technical team was expected to pursue talks on the deep-water harbour and the Linden-Lethem road pavement initiatives.
Developments in Suriname last December had led to local businessmen calling on the administration to move quickly to seal the deal with the road and a deep-water harbour. In December, Suriname’s Public Works Minister Ramon Abrahams signed three MOUs totalling US$6B with Chinese enterprises, Cheng Don International and China Harbour. According to reports in the Surinamese media, while details of the agreements are still to be worked out, both companies have pledged to finance and execute the megaprojects.
Chen Don will be responsible for the construction of 8,000 public housing units, while China Harbour, is contracted for the construction of a road and railroad from Paramaribo to Brazil, a deep sea harbour, a sea wall from Albina in the east to Nickerie in the west and a new highway to the Zanderij International airport.
The fear among some members of the private sector is that these developments in Suriname could hinder Guyana’s quest to be the gateway for business to Brazil. However, a government source said the signing of the MOUs did not mean that Suriname was now ahead of Guyana. According to the source, Suriname will now have to start from scratch to determine the feasibility of the projects etc. The official said Guyana was in a better position since it was working directly with the Brazilian government on the Linden-Lethem road and the deep-water harbour as opposed to a third party.
Concerning the deep water harbour, a senior government source had told this newspaper that Guyana had discussed with Surinamese President Desi Bouterse the possibility of them joining forces to build a deep-water harbour. There was uncertainty, however, whether the harbour would be built here or in Suriname. However, the senior source said that there is a strong argument for the facility to be built in Berbice, since this would allow greater access to the Caribbean and further afield.
However, Stabroek News understands that currently in the negotiations between Brazil and Guyana priority is being placed on building the road and developing a hydropower plant in the Mazaruni area.
Meanwhile, the local private sector continues to explore business opportunities in Brazil. Less than a week and a half ago, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) Ramesh Dookhoo and Go-Invest Head Geoffrey Da Silva led a team of potential investors to Lethem and to Brazil. When in Brazil, the team met with the Governor of Roraima and the Chairman of the Boa Vista Chamber of Commerce. According to Dookhoo, one of the issues discussed was the paving of the Linden to Lethem road. “They are all very upbeat on the road,” he said.
