[www.inewsguyana.com] – All the objectives of the three day visit by Suriname’s House Speaker Dr. Jennifer Geerlings-Simons and several members of her National Assembly to Guyana have been accomplished.
This is according to Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman who identified those objectives as “the first was to reach out in a brotherly and neighborly manner and with a hand of friendship to our sister assembly in Suriname, the second was to compare and contrast our parliamentary systems to see how we can learn from each other and adapt some best practices … the third objective was to explore the opportunities for finding a mechanism to ensure a more formal relationship between our two parliaments.”
The two Speakers noted with much satisfaction the agreement to develop structural forms of cooperation through which future engagements will be channeled.
Trotman said he was most impressed with Suriname’s information and communication technology (ICT) systems and will move to have it implement here.
He said this visit was a friendly one and as such issues relating to the border dispute and legalizing the backtrack route were not formally discussed.
Meanwhile House Speaker of Suriname’s Parliament Dr. Jennifer Geerlings – Simons says she looks forward to further strengthening cooperation between the two Parliaments, “if we want security and development, we have no choice but to live as good neighbors” she said, adding that “we are not only neighbors but a people with similar history.”
The two Speakers will now report to their respective Parliament and make suggestions on the way forward. Guyana’s Speaker and Parliamentarians will also visit Suriname soon to deepen discussions that have been initiated.
Trotman presented a Victoria Regina Lily brooch and a painting of the Marshalls Falls to his Surinamese counterpart.
Since arriving in Guyana on Thursday, October 24 Dr. Geerlings Simons paid courtesy calls on President Donald Ramotar, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Several Ministers of Government, and the Leader of the Opposition David Granger.
In addition, the delegation also met with Members of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Committee, Members of the Parliamentary Management Committee (PMC) and Members of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Foreign Relations.
