The Guyana Government’s plans to develop ‘Camp Jaguar’ in the New River Triangle are rooted in humanitarian goals, not military expansion, President Dr. Irfaan Ali reiterated during a press conference today.
“We have received numerous requests from residents in the area for support in transporting goods and services,” President Ali stated. “It sometimes takes three to four weeks for them to get food into their villages from New Amsterdam. This is not feasible from a humanitarian perspective,” the Head of State said.
The Guyanese Leader stressed that all investments in the area, including the enhancement of the Camp Jaguar airstrip, are to ensure efficient access to essential supplies such as food, fuel, and other necessities. “Our focus is entirely on improving the standard of living for these communities. The government’s policies and projects are designed to ease the plight of people and provide them with better opportunities for a higher quality of life,” he added.
The President also addressed concerns raised by the Surinamese Government, which had summoned Guyana’s Ambassador, Virjanand Depoo, to express objections over the airstrip and other planned developments in the New River Triangle. Suriname’s Foreign Affairs Minister Albert Ramdin has claimed that the territory is within Suriname’s jurisdiction, requiring their approval for such projects.
President Ali reiterated that the area is well within Guyana’s Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and defended the Government’s sovereign right to develop its territory. “What we said publicly is what we said privately: there is no militarisation involved. These developments are solely to support humanitarian efforts and the existence of people in these remote communities,” he stated.
Suriname, following on the heels of Venezuela’s seizure of Ankoko Island back in 1966, actually attempted to seize the New River Triangle area in 1969 by sneaking troops into the area and proceeding to construct an air strip at what is now Camp Jaguar.
However, a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) mission into the area had routed the Surinamese troops from the location, sending them back over the border into Suriname. As a consequence, Guyana had converted the base into ‘Camp Jaguar’, manned by Guyanese troops ever since.
Notwithstanding, relations between Guyana and Suriname remain largely cooperative. Both nations have recently reaffirmed commitments to bilateral cooperation in areas such as food security, energy security, and border security to foster economic development and prosperity for their peoples.
President Ali emphasised that developments in the area are about “humanitarian support and improving lives, not escalating tensions.”
