especially given the fact that Bridgetown wants to speed up its ambitious construction plans. A Surinamese delegeraion that consists of executives from the state mining company NV Grassalco left for Barbados and met with Senior Minister Kerrie Symmonds to discuss the purchase of Surinamese construction materials. Symmonds explained that demand for construction materials is growing on the Caribbean island while the supplies are dwindling. Barbados therefore has to opt for importing construction materials. Bridgetown sees Suriname as an interesting potential supplier because it has access to natural resources and can therefore help Barbados out. The new business venture would help to breathe new life into the economic relations between both Caribbean countries. Symmonds explained that Suriname which is a Caricom partner that is part of South America is of strategic importance. Bridgetown also wants to reactivate the collaboration agreement from 2018 which is known as the Brokopondo agreement. However, the execution of the 2018 Brokopondo Agreement was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The bilateral deal covered air and maritime connectivity, tourism, agriculture and food security, trade and investment, natural resources and renewable energy.