(Kaieteur News) – Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd has denied claims from Paramaribo, stating that Guyana was never notified through official channels that Suriname intended to fund the historic 3.1-kilometer Corentyne River Bridge independently.

In an official statement released on July 4, 2026, Todd pushed back against a public declaration from Suriname’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation (BIBIS). The Surinamese ministry had asserted that its intention to fully finance the cross-border infrastructure was a standing topic clearly communicated to Guyanese President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali across several bilateral encounters, listing three specific high-level meetings, including a virtual consultation between the two presidents on May 15, 2026.

Todd contested this timeline, stating that the virtual meeting on May 15 was convened at the personal initiative of President Ali solely to coordinate urgent disaster relief for Suriname during severe flash flooding. He noted that those discussions focused on deploying an agricultural technical team and loaning drainage pumps. “Guyana wishes to categorically state that in the meeting held on May 15, there was no discussion on financing of the bridge or a signal of departure from the collaborative approach that has guided the project from its inception,” Todd stated. He added that “contrary to the impression now being conveyed publicly, Guyana has never been informed through the established bilateral mechanisms that the Government of Suriname intended to assume sole responsibility for financing the bridge”.