SURINAME-Suriname minister orders full review of cross-border ferry service with Guyana.

PARAMARIBO, Suriname, CMC – Transport, Communications and Tourism Minister, Raymond Landveld, has ordered a full review of the cross-border ferry connection between Suriname and Guyana less than a week after the two countries agreed to resume the ferry service.

Landveld told the National Assembly that the review will involve an in-depth investigation into all monetary and administrative transactions of the past five years, as legislators criticized the current management and internal oversight.

Landveld said that the difficulties extend far beyond the occasional disruption of shipping and that the entire business model, ranging from daily management and safety supervision to procurement processes and the workforce, will be reassessed.

The current structure is split into two separate entities, with the company governed by Guyanese law acting as the asset holder and the Surinamese branch managing daily operations.

Last week, the sailing ban for the MV Canawaima was lifted after Canawaima Ferry Service (CFS) Inc. and Canawaima Management Company (CMC) NV reported that the ferry had been re-inspected and was cleared to sail again.

According to the companies, the safety of passengers, crew, and the vessel remains paramount. The technical monitoring of the MV Canawaima will therefore continue in accordance with the agreements made in this regard.

The organizations expressed their appreciation for the cooperation of the competent authorities and other involved parties in Suriname and Guyana.

Government legislator Rabin Parmessar, demanding full transparency, insisted on access to the organizational structure, annual reports, and auditors’ reports from recent years.

Parmessar said that while Canawaima is a relatively small organization, he believes the company has an illogically large management structure and is therefore seeking clarity regarding salaries and compensation within the organization.