President Irfaan Ali has assured that his government has not given up on acquiring the 150 SC fishing licences for Guyanese fishermen, which were promised in 2021 following an agreement between Suriname and Guyana.
Ali stressed that his government has expressed great concern over the Suriname’s failure to approve the licences.
Speaking at a press conference last Thursday, President Ali stated, “We have not given up on this. As a matter of fact we have expressed deep concern, deep concern at the non-approval of these licences or the failure of Suriname to grant these licences.”
According to him, while Guyana understands that it is Suriname’s agency that has to grant the licences, he said “a commitment was made and we are deeply concerned that this is not fulfilled.”
Surinamese purchase yearly SA fishing licences for US$50 and then rent them to Guyanese fisherfolk. Stabroek News was told that rented licences for 2023 cost Guyanese between US$4,000 and US$6,000. Before the issue arose, annual licences were being rented to Guyanese for US$2,500 and US$3,000.
“Without the licence you cannot fish, so you have to find the money”, fisherfolk from the Upper Corentyne Area had told this newspaper.
“Paying US$5000 for a US$50 licence is a bit too much that’s why we were lobbying to give the licence to the Guyanese fishermen to take out the middle men. They use our boat to go and register and then now we have to pay this huge sum them na even used them conscious.”
Additionally, he explained that more boats have entered the system “so the Surinamese see an opportunity to make money so they start raise the price, they pushing us to pay the price.”
“Guyanese cause that themselves too, because some people na knowledgeable about the situation, they have relatives overseas who might want to help them and make a fishing boat, they come in with money and can afford to pay for the licence, but when you deh in the work like us we find it hard to pay that money and maintain your vessel, everything is so expensive, it is very challenging for us but then we can’t do anything.”
At a public meeting in Crabwood Creek, Corentyne back in May, Ali had said that he was dissatisfied at the situation. “We are working on it very hard, trust me, every meeting up to two months ago, we are dissatisfied with the situation but we are promised that a solution will be proposed at the next joint commission meeting that is what (Suriname) President (Chandrikapersad) Santokhi would have said that they are working on some options to give us.”
In March of this year, President Santokhi, who provided an update to this newspaper had said that the matter was still on the “agenda”. He said that his government was not running away from its responsibility to make a “proper decision.”
