President Irfaan Ali’s assertion that it was “news to me” that Suriname intended to finance the proposed Corentyne River Bridge has been directly contradicted by the Surinamese government, which says the Guyanese leader was informed of its position during bilateral talks as recently as May this year.

The disclosure, contained in an official statement issued Saturday by Suriname’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation and first reported by Demerara Waves, raises fresh questions about whether President Ali misled the nation regarding one of the most significant infrastructure projects between the two neighbouring countries.

In the statement, the Surinamese Foreign Ministry said its intention to finance the bridge had been clearly communicated to Guyana during several rounds of official discussions.