Gya: Suriname gave the okay

Contrary to reports in the Surinamese daily De Ware Tijd (DWT) last week, Suriname was aware of the survey activities by the Canadian company, CGX Energy in 1999 and had given permission for its survey ship, MV Kenda, to turn around in Surinamese waters.

The DWT report quoted former Surinamese president Dr Jules Wijdenbosch as denying statements by President Bharrat Jagdeo that Suriname would have been aware that the Guyana government had granted CGX a licence to explore for oil in that part of Guyana's exclusive economic zone which Suriname claims. He said that in turning around, the survey ship would have needed permission from Paramaribo to enter Surinamese maritime territory. It had recently been suggested by Suriname that it was unaware that CGX had been granted a licence and this was one of the reasons for its gunboats evicting the CGX rig from Guyana's waters in June 2000.