Suriname on Friday signed Memoranda of Understanding with two Chinese companies for US$6B worth of projects which include a deep sea harbour and a railroad to Brazil.
The Surinamese newspaper de Ware Tijd (dWT) today said that on Friday, Minister of Public Works Ramon Abrahams signed three memoranda of understanding (MOU’s) with two big Chinese enterprises, Cheng Don International and China Harbour.
The report said that it involves the financing and execution of megaprojects totalling US$6 billion by the Chinese partners. The MOU with Chen Don entails the construction of 8,000 public housing units.
The MOU’s, with China Harbour, relate to five prestige projects: a road and railroad from Paramaribo to Brazil, a deep sea harbour, a sea dam from Albina to Nickerie and a highway to Zanderij. President Desi Bouterse mentioned these projects in his annual address.
The deals could be a blow to Guyana’s hope of being a transit point for business into northern Brazil. Guyana has been hoping for many years now for a deepwater harbour in either Berbice or Essequibo complemented by a fully paved road to Brazil. Neither of these two projects has gotten off the ground.
