Guyana, Suriname to ask 8 of 38 companies for price offer to build Corentyne Bridge

Seven months after finalising the agreement for the construction of a bridge that would connect the two countries, Guyana and Suriname have now shortlisted some eight of 38 companies that have submitted expressions of interest and will soon ask for their price offers.

Guyana’s Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill confirmed to the News Room that the two sides met virtually on Thursday last and shortlisted the companies that will now have to provide financials.

This, he said, will in turn allow for a preferred bidder to be selected in moving the process forward.

“Last week Thursday there was meeting and the final minutes of that meeting is to be exchanged between the two sides and we will be able to go forward,” Edghill told the News Room on Tuesday.

He refused to comment any further on the meeting with Suriname until there is mutually agreed written correspondence on the latest developments by the two sovereign states.

But reports out of Suriname indicate that from the 38 engineering firms that expressed interest, eight have been shortlisted.

An article published on the online platform Waterkant indicates that the agencies which have already applied come from different parts of the world, including the United States of America, China, Spain, Brazil, France, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy, Trinidad & Tobago, Korea, Guyana and the Netherlands.

The agencies, according to the Waterkant, that will receive an invitation to make a price offer are

• China Road and Bridge Corporation (China)
• EGIS (France)
• Exp Services Inc., Pedelta, Arcadis, CEMCO (Canada, Spain, Netherlands, Guyana)
• FIGG / Sunecon / SRKN’gineering & Associates/E&A Consultans / P-ALL Consultants/ Environmental Management Consultant (United States of America)
• Politecnica and Rina JV / ILACO / SRKN’gineering & Associates (Italy, Suriname, Guyana)
• SYSTRA International Bridge Technologies Inc. / AP&G Consultancy Suriname NV / Delta Marine Consultants / Deltares (Dubai, Suriname, Netherlands)
• TYPSA/ Leonard, Andra und Partner GmbH/ FIRM (Spain, Germany, Suriname)
• WSP Caribbean Ltd. (Trinidad)

The offers are expected no later than September 16, 2021, after which they will be assessed by a joint evaluation committee.

The chosen company then has approximately one year to carry out a feasibility study.

The Corentyne River Bridge, once completed, opens up great possibilities for trade and cross border cooperation.