The Guyanese vessel, MV Chandra 1, seized by the Surinamese military in the Corentyne River, has been released after an agent acting on behalf of the owner paid a heavy fine, and the vessel and crew are expected back in the country this afternoon, the vessel’s owner said.

The vessel, which was on its way to Skeldon to transport bulk sugar for export, was escorted to Nickerie by three military vessels, a move which Guyana has deemed an act of aggression and has protested.

Stabroek News has learnt that to date Suriname has not responded to the Guyana government’s note verbale on the issue.

The owner of the vessel, Kampta Persaud, yesterday told the Stabroek News that the crew, including the captain and the vessel had been freed by the Surinamese military on Wednesday afternoon but owing to a breakdown in the starter of the vessel they were unable to travel back to Skeldon yesterday morning.

In addition, he said that two pilots were required to escort the vessel back to Skeldon but only one was available yesterday afternoon.

Persaud said that once the vessel arrives at Skeldon it would be loaded with sugar for export for its return trip to Demerara.

Meanwhile Suriname’s de Ware Tijd English edition said on Wednesday that Suriname has ignored Georgetown’s protest about the seizure since the MV Lady Chandra I sailed the Corentyne River without a Surinamese pilot on board as requested by the Maritime Authority of Suriname (MAS), which in May 2006 restarted the piloting of (international) ships on the river.

De Ware Tijd said that the Guyanese government was informed about the requirement for all ships using the river, including Surinamese vessels of a certain tonnage.

In response to this, President Bharrat Jagdeo told the media on Wednesday that Guyana does not recognize Suriname’s administrating of the waterway. He said that the Corentyne River was a  border river on which both countries should have user rights. In the case of Suriname, he said that the neighbouring country was trying to impose sovereignty unilaterally over the river even though Guyana has indicated a willingness to discuss the issue.

Stating that Guyana was not an aggressive country and relies  heavily on diplomacy, he said that when Suriname used force to evict the CGX oil exploration rig from Guyana’s territorial waters in June 2000, Guyana did not respond with force but sought the route of international law and was vindicated after  diplomacy failed. “That, however, does not say that our response will be the same all the time,” he said.

The fact that they must pay a fine to be released, he said was “not good enough for my government” because the river has the characteristics of a border river and leaving sovereignty aside and which has not been settled, both countries should have full user access.

Guyana has also informed the Secretaries General of Caricom and the United Nations about the seizure of the vessel which it says was impacting negatively on Guyana’s economic and security interests.