Jagdeo wants to deepen relations with Surinam

Guyanese President, Bharrat Jagdeo, says he hopes to work with the newly elected President of Suriname to improve relations between the two countries.



Desi Bouterse, a former military strong man and dictator, was elected head of state in Suriname yesterday, winning a two thirds’ majority vote in the 51 seat parliament.



The first CARICOM leader to comment on Bouterse’s win, Jagdeo, said he hoped that the two countries would work towards solving a broader number of issues.



In 2000, a Canadian oil exploration company, which was granted an oil exploration licence by Guyana, was forced to leave the Corentyne River by the Suriname military.



Guyana took the dispute to the United Nations Tribunal, which ruled in its favour, but the two countries have not fully settled the issue.