Letter from South America: Guyana and Suriname poised for change

The enormous exploration success of recent years leaves the South American neighbours at a crossroads

Guyana and Suriname are unique places, and not just because of the recent oil boom. For centuries sugarcane production dominated the coastal areas, split between colonies controlled by the British and the Dutch, while the interior was left much as it was before Columbus made his trans-Atlantic journey. Both colonial powers left an indelible mark on the two countries in terms of language and, most notably, demographics. Forced migrations resulted in heterogenous societies that have influences from India, Java and the African continent. Politics are interesting, to say the least.   The normal pace of life in the region changed dramatically in 2015. Before then, Guyana had not seen any success